last minute questions

[fuzzye]

we are flying out on tuesday, getting on the ship thursday, docking sunday. there is a 1 yr old with us. i know lemonade and tea are free, but what about milk? tipping: we have 2 rooms, 3 people each. $10 per day per person. do we consider the 1 yr old as a paying person too? leave at 4 pm sunday get back 7 am sunday. this is considered 4 days correct? we have a small soft side cooler (about 12" x 14") we will put soda, juice for the 1 yr old, and a bottle of wine or maybe more in. wine and soda are ok, but not supposed to bring anything stronger right? im not planning on a bar full, but something just for our room.

[SkyMaster]

Milk is free, so no problem there. I'm not sure about the tip for the tot, but I wouldn't think he'd be included in the $10 per day. You're correct about bringing aboard the wine. You're allowed one bottle per adult, of wine, and nothing stronger. A Sunday to Sunday cruise is considered a 7 day cruise, but after reading your post again, I think maybe you're leaving Thursday instead of Sunday. That would be considered a 3 day cruise.

In any case, have a GREAT cruise.

 

"SKY"

[firefly333]

Im a little confused, which ship are you on. If you leave on Sunday and get back on Sunday, thats considered 7 days. Another place you mention flying out tueday. Typo somewhere in there? Count the nights, that will tell you how many day cruise its considered, or look on Carnival's site.

 

Ask for milk for your little one, they will go get it. Your waiter will get it in the dining room too or a high chair or whatever you need.

 

Tips, is a highly controversial issue. Your little one will probably eat less, but get more attention from the employees. Some people feel they should tip less if their child doesnt eat as much, but still makes just as much of a mess, and the cabin steward still has to make up the bed etc. Will she use a regular bed or are you asking for a pack no play to be made up nightly?

 

Id still tip at least half. Some had the tips added for their baby, but some said not, it seems to vary. If they do add the full amount, you can always go to the purser's desk and have it adjusted, but Id wait and see how much they fuss over her and if you get great service for the 1 year old. Carnival's policy says tips added for everyone, but it seems to vary in practice. Adjust the tips if you think thats best or add some if they dont add them.

[firefly333]

After rereading your post, sounds like you plan on carrying the cooler on filled with juices and milk. You might be stopped as the cooler is too big. Carnival says nothing larger than 12 x 12 x 12. Fold up the soft sided cooler into your suitcase. (thats why people buy soft sided coolers, they can be put into your suitcase.)

 

You might get by with carrying it on, but if you are stopped, its hard to juggle all your drinks if you dont have a bag handy. Some ports are more strict than others. This isnt a good rule to break, as you will have all those loose drinks to deal with.

 

I could be misunderstanding and you are packing the drinks and cooler into a suitcase?

[fuzzye]

typo on my part. leaving thurs at 4 pm getting back sunday at 7 am. 3 nights. my intentions were to fill the cooler and not carry it on, just send it with my luggage at the dock. i will measure the bag to be safe. i plan to pack the bag in our luggage for the flight down then fill it on the way to the ship. the 1 yr old will sleep in the bed between 2 people. going on the sensation to bahamas. carnival automatically put the tip on my card right? i have the option to take it off and pay myself after i get on the ship right? i kinda like the idea of handing my tip outself. any chance carnival will screw up and not take it off my card and i end up double tipping? thanks for the info.

[firefly333]

If the cooler is too big, dont fill it on the way to the ship. Plan on putting it in a suitcase imo. No sense having it confiscated.

 

Do you have a bag that folds up with a zipper you can put in your luggage. We have bought them in all the ports, and bring one now with us in the luggage .... for overflow on the way home. (we usually buy junks).

 

If the cooler is too big, use the zipped cloth type bag to carry your stuff onboard, then tuck it away in the suitcase ... they come in handy. Fill the cooler after you get to your cabin.

[ballinafad]

If the cooler is slightly bigger than allowed for carry-on, would we have any problems still taking it off and on in ports?

[firefly333]

If the cooler is slightly bigger than allowed for carry-on, would we have any problems still taking it off and on in ports?

 

No, they dont care. I think the reason they changed the rules about cooler dimensions was to cut down on folks who fill the cooler with ice and drinks before they board, and have this heavy cooler people were taking on taking away from renvenue. Others were slapping luggage tags on them and expecting the porters to deal with them. Porters have also been refusing to take packs of water and soda people just slap a luggage tag on that isnt easy for the porters to handle.

 

Carnival one day is going to start enforcing their 50 lb rule ... each year they get a little stricter.

 

You can carry anything off any size, just cant carry it on when you board... any other time you can carry what you want. Boarding is the only time the rules apply.

[*Mach*]

Milk is free, so no problem there. I'm not sure about the tip for the tot, but I wouldn't think he'd be included in the $10 per day. You're correct about bringing aboard the wine. You're allowed one bottle per adult, of wine, and nothing stronger. A Sunday to Sunday cruise is considered a 7 day cruise, but after reading your post again, I think maybe you're leaving Thursday instead of Sunday. That would be considered a 3 day cruise.

In any case, have a GREAT cruise.

 

"SKY"

 

 

Sorry for hijacking the thread but I wanted to tell you that I really liked the Skymaster. Neat airplane. I flew a number of them but the most memorable was one on EdoAire floats!! That beast was TALL!!!

:)

[chasinraynbowz]

carnival automatically put the tip on my card right? i have the option to take it off and pay myself after i get on the ship right? i kinda like the idea of handing my tip outself. any chance carnival will screw up and not take it off my card and i end up double tipping? thanks for the info.

 

Since tips are added to your bill, why would you want to hand them out yourself? You would not hand them out daily, only at the end of the cruise and what if you forgot someone... Just curious. For most, its just easier to be done automatically and give out extra the last night if your servers or room steward deserve it, which they usually do!

[firefly333]

i have the option to take it off and pay myself after i get on the ship right? i kinda like the idea of handing my tip outself. any chance carnival will screw up and not take it off my card and i end up double tipping? thanks for the info.

 

Do be aware that your name will be on a list in the crew quarters if you remove tips. Its going to upset everyone. Someone was able to take a picture of this list and it made the newspapers, but we all knew it affected things if you remove tips. Bosses will be asking the crew what they did wrong that you removed the automatic tips. Sure you can remove them... and you will be asked WHY when you do it. The folks that serve you will be aware you have done it.

 

If you want to remove tips for the 1 year old, Id say fine, if you really think the crew isnt derserving a full tip for a child that age ... but they work hard for those tips. I would wait until you see how much service you get before you remove adults tips. Just consider tips a cost of the cruise.

[fuzzye]

not that big a deal on removing the tips and paying cash. i was not meaning remove tips as in not paying any, just giving cash instead. i was thinking handing it to the personally would be nicer. just thought cash would be easier and more perfered, not having to turn in as income. i will just leave it on there instead of the cash. i do consider the tip is part of our trip. thanks for the info!