Island Hopper58

On several NOLA departures, I don't recall any having a Mardi Gras night. But, things change, so who knows? :)

Thanks for at lease answering :)

Maybe it will just be our group...:eek:

For those who have sailed out of NOLA in Feb. (or anytime really)

Does Carnival do a Mardi Gras night?

If so is it on an Elegant night? (1st or 2nd?)

We will be leaving out of NOLA the first part of Feb.

So I am looking to pack all the things I might need for such an occasion.

Photos if you have them would be fun also.

(Yes I tried to search for the answer and came up with nothing I needed or everything to do with the ship Mardi Gras)

Excuse the poor Title spelling/typo, no editing that it seems :(

~~~Alaska Sunset...viewed from the Carnival Spirit~~~

How do you book your cruise?.. Carnival site or other site?

Sometimes on the Carnival website, sometimes with a TA (If a group is going)

It does happen, It did to us for our Hawaiian cruise last Oct.

We ignored the texts and we spent a VERY long time waiting.

I was glad we were not among the Priority Guest.

Think long cruise in Oct. Yep a million (ok that was a touch over board) Priority Guests.

long cruise during school, Older Retired...

Each one thinking it is only about them.

LOL ok not all of them. But enough to make the rest uneasy.

I had a few friends in there that were thinking "Get me out of here PLEASE",

because there was so much moaning and groaning going on.

You can't put that many "special" people in one place for to long :eek:

So yes go early, but bring something to keep you happy just in case.

We had snacks, and were just happy to be getting on a ship going anywhere :)

Taking 12 cans seltzer/sparkling water for me, 12 cans soda for DD. Can I also take some juice boxes for the same DD? How strict are they on non-alcoholic beverages? Leaving from Baltimore. TIA!!

I don't think it will matter BUT

If you are worried about it.

Take a six pack of each and hit a store at one of the ports to pick up some more :)

I have not been charged a fee either.

So the question would be...

Is this a new policy or

one that is for someone who lets say is not from the states?

OP has NSW Australia listed as her home, so maybe that's the case?

If you have never been to Alaska, go with the Miracle.

Both Ships are great, but the Spirit class ships are my Favorite.

So easy to get around.

And Alaska can really get spendy, Still in the US, so port purchases and excursions will be on the higher end.

But worth it for that once in a lifetime cruise. (unless you live on this side of the states.)

Also remember the cost of flights that can get ya too.

But again worth it at least once in your life.

I find cruise prices are the cheapest part of our cruise vacations.

Having to fly cross country for the Caribbean ports :)

Does anyone remember the Future Cruise Certificate ? That was a much better deal for your money

Loved the FCC, but it is not offered now, so this is the next best thing :)

I've put in all my info to purchase, it doesn't say anything about the promo card. I read on CC it's 'automatic' -- it that correct? Do I get the promo amount in an email?

It is automatic, if you do the e card you will have a longer shelf life for your % promo card

The e gift card will come right away, and the Promo % e card will come hours or even days later

I bought a few and so far only one %promo card has showed up.

But I also bought that gift card earlier in the day from the others.

Hope this helps

DO you need a promo code to get the 10% bonus on gift cards? I can google carnival gift cards and it takes me to their site to purchase gift card and there is an advertisement for the gift card promo - but when you go to buy it asks for a promo code and I just want to make sure I don't need to put one to get the extra 10%. I have called Carnival and of course got a PVP who seems to be new and now I am on hold for the third time with people trying to figure it out. I figured CC could help before I get a straight answer from Carnival. :)

No promo code needed for either, but if you get the e card you have extra time on the promo % card.

Plastic Promo % cards expire Dec31

"e" promo % cards expire one year after purchase.

Not sure if it was mentioned or not. BUT

How about you line up your bottles say on the table

Place one pill from each bottle in front of the container it comes from.

Take a photo of your line up and pack it into on of your zip lock bags of pills.

Now you have what the pills look like, with the bottle they came in

with out the bulk :)

Just a thought for the Just in Case

Have a great cruise :)

For prescriptions I just peal the label off and stick it right to the zip lock bag.

Again less bulk.

http://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/Main/decks.php?ship=Carnival Miracle

 

Check it out here. I like the ones on the bump outs because you can see down better, But I love a bigger balcony so the indents are perfect. I got one of the bowling alley balconies on our Miracle cruise in Nov. 8232. Can hardly wait.

PekingeseLady, You are going to love that cabin.

We had the one right below it, for our Alaska and Hawaii cruises.

It could be that they are waiting to see what happens.

At the moment the Miracle is limping along and they don't plan on fixing her until 2015

With her normally scheduled dry dock.

To me not the wisest move on their part, but no one called and asked me LOL

Time will tell if they made the right decision...

Just got off a couple weeks ago. Don't waste your money on the FTTF

drop your bags at the pier 10:30ish, and head over to the rum factory with your carry on.

We had back packs and had no problem carrying them through the tour.

The ferry is just down a block, and was like 50 cents each way because it was Sunday?

on the other side grab a cab I think it is about $3pp

Or take a cab from the port and ferry back that is what we did, but there was a group of us so it was only $5 each.

We had our tour and our free drinks, we spent a couple hours relaxing there.

Grabbed a cab in the parking area and headed to the ferry.

Ferried back, stopped by the little market for some wine? or what ever and pretty much just walked right on board.

It was so easy I do not even recall checking in?

We went right to our cabin, to drop our back packs and our luggage was waiting for us.

Then we headed right up to the fish and chips on deck ten, NO LINE, and had the best fish and chips freshly cooked ever!

So those are my little hints for this cruise :)

One other would be don't book Island tours for every port. Make at least one just a beach day.

Enjoy your cruise :)

I have only cruised in forward or middle rooms, normally on higher decks. However, I will be on Main Deck Aft (cabin 2444) on Triumph later this month and am starting to worry about some of the horror stories I have read about people not being able to sleep because of the vibrations from the engines. Let me hear your experience staying low and aft on the ships.

How bad is it when you are just sailing on open water?

We had the cabin that would have been next to yours to the Aft but on the Valor

(don't even know if they are sisters ships, but looking at the deck plan they look a lot alike.)

Anyway, the only time we felt the vibrations were coming into and leaving port.

The rest of the time was Smooth sailing.

I can see if you like to sleep in on port days, you might not like it much. (only for about 10 mins though ,if that!)

Enjoy your cruise :)

Well, I would have said the same thing a few months ago, but I now have a Great TA

she is on FB and gets back to me almost before I ask. Not to mention I asked her if a $4 Drop was even worth her trouble

Guess so she came back with a $60 one :)

So I would say it depends on your TA

Time for the sad news.

Unless you are on the Valor this week there is no more Arnold's team

Arnold his going on Vaca, and will return to Carnival, on the Spirit down under.

He was very excited about Vaca, and his new ship.

Clifford and Clara will still be there, but they didn't know who would be their head waiter.

Not sure if they will still be in YTD

Another YTD Head Waiter that was really good is Boris.

We had him one night, and our friends were at his tables the whole week.

He never stopped smiling and can dance too.

Elvis, I think he is the main maitre d, might be able to help you to find them :)

Elvis has been on my last 3 cruises (I think he is following me ;) ) and has always been very helpful

Thanks for posting your review. Asking a general question here for those who cruised Valor recently.......were your rooms ready when you boarded? Not looking to buy FTTF so wondering what times the rooms will be ready.

Just got home Yesterday from our time on the Valor and San Juan.

Don't pay extra for the FTTF, you can drop your bags at about 10:30

that's when we did.

We had a nice size group meeting early to head on over to Bacardi for a little Free Rum tasting and tour

A Taxi guy charged us $5 each to drive us over.

Or you can take the ferry a couple blocks down and grab a cab on the other side for $3 or $4 each.

We opted to cab ($4pp) back to the Ferry after the tour just cuz

(the ferry was 50 cents on Sundays I guess)

once we got back our bags were waiting for us and our room was ready :)

It really sounds like the service and food has gotten better on The Valor since we sailed her from Miami in 2008. We are booked again for this November. Looking forward to some ports they don't sail to everyday. Hesitated about booking her again but the itinerary won out. Looks like many things have improved so really looking forward the this sailing!!

 

I agree with what a previous poster said about the Fish and Chips go the first day. I have also been told if you dine in the Steakhouse on the first night you get a free bottle of wine so we will be planning that for sure!!

Just got off Sunday. Food and service both were wonderful. Loved the fish and chips :)

I am sailing on the Valor and have booked Cabin #7360, Balcony, there are no interior rooms across the hall according to the deckplan...what is there in the white space across from 7360. I am trying to attach the deck plan. I was just curious

We will be on her in 5 days, and friends of ours are in cabins from 7338-7360. I will try to remember to ask them what they thought and post it here when we get back. But this is what I found on a deck plan sight :)

I don't think I have ever heard a MC pitch on the ship...

You all have had some very creative room stewards.

But like some others here, I think I would have had a mini heart attack walking in on some of them.

The cocktail parties of the past really were the best bang for the carnival buck.

And the price was not so high that even non drinkers would pay the price to go to the M&G

I no longer think that will be happening.

Might as well just meet up and everyone buy as you go for a couple hours.

That works just as well for me, as I don't drink but one or two anyway.

Thank you all for the advice. I definitely want to stick to the early dining (with a kid it's always good to have a schedule), so anytime isn't going to be an option. I guess I'll make sure to get to the Maitre D's station as soon as I get on the boat.

 

Have a great evening! And thanks again!

Anytime dining, doesn't mean you can't have a schedule.

You pick the time you want to eat. It can still be 6:00 every night

and you wouldn't have to worry about table mates.

Does anyone know the time Sea Day Brunch is served? What time it starts and ends?

 

Thanks!

The fun times of my last cruise has it listed 8:30-1:00

that was on the Miracle last Nov.