All Things PRIDE!!

[WetToes]

Why the last?

[BattyL]

Haven't received our email regarding boarding this Sunday,,,but as usual we will leave he house about 10:30am and get to the parking lot about 11am. Only had to wait outside the lot for a short period of time on our last Pride trip. :o

 

I'm hoping we don't have to wait long this time. I am so ready to get on this ship!:D have most of my packing done, just need to finish a few things then I am ready to go.

[mollypop1622]

I'm cruising out of Baltimore May 25th. We booked the vista suite so have VIP boarding... Last time I was on the Pride my parents had the vista suite so we got to check in with them but I forget the whole process, what time we were on the ship, etc. Can someone give me a quick run-down of when the best time for me to arrive would be and what to expect? ( FYI: I live about 30 mins north of Baltimore and will be dropped off at the port by either my sister or my mom)

 

Thanks!!

Molly

 

 

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Edited April 26, 2014 by mollypop1622

[jimbo5544]

I'm cruising out of Baltimore May 25th. We booked the vista suite so have VIP boarding... Last time I was on the Pride my parents had the vista suite so we got to check in with them but I forget the whole process, what time we were on the ship, etc. Can someone give me a quick run-down of when the best time for me to arrive would be and what to expect? ( FYI: I live about 30 mins north of Baltimore and will be dropped off at the port by either my sister or my mom)

 

Thanks!!

Molly

 

 

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The Pride does not dock till 9. I would not go before 11.

[422Melissa]

How far in advance are excursions posted online? I can't pull anything up for April 2015 yet. That's right, I didn't even make it 7 days without booking my next Pride cruise ::sigh:: I really enjoy this ship.

[Tacosha]

How far in advance are excursions posted online? I can't pull anything up for April 2015 yet. That's right, I didn't even make it 7 days without booking my next Pride cruise ::sigh:: I really enjoy this ship.

 

Very good to hear...since I'll be sailing on the Pride for the first time at the end of June! :)

 

The Port of Baltimore is only an hour from my home, so that was the main reason we booked a cruise out of Baltimore rather than fly to Florida...even though Florida has more choices. We didn't want to have to add to the expenses by having to fly to a port. Baltimore only has 2 ships to choose from, so we went with the Pride since we are more familiar with Carnival.

 

Which ports did you dock at? We are going to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Freeport. Can't wait! :D

[422Melissa]

We had the same itinerary but missed Freeport as a result of the transformer repairs made on our sailing. This was my first time visiting Grand Turk and HMC. My daughter and I both loved the Reef and Rays excursion in Grand Turk. The snorkeling was fantastic. We still had time to explore the port a bit afterward. Half Moon Cay is gorgeous. We didn't book any excursions that day since we rented a cabana. We just relaxed and enjoyed the views. Let me know if you have questions about anything at all. I'm in VA and enjoy sailing from Baltimore or Norfolk as well. Here's a photo of my daughter and some of the friends she made in Club O2.

 

 

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[Tacosha]

We had the same itinerary but missed Freeport as a result of the transformer repairs made on our sailing. This was my first time visiting Grand Turk and HMC. My daughter and I both loved the Reef and Rays excursion in Grand Turk. The snorkeling was fantastic. We still had time to explore the port a bit afterward. Half Moon Cay is gorgeous. We didn't book any excursions that day since we rented a cabana. We just relaxed and enjoyed the views. Let me know if you have questions about anything at all. I'm in VA and enjoy sailing from Baltimore or Norfolk as well. Here's a photo of my daughter and some of the friends she made in Club O2. [ATTACH]310739[/ATTACH]

 

 

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Thanks for the info. I'm trying to decide on excursions. We are thinking perhaps the dune buggies at Grand Turk...because I want to also have time to visit some of the shops and spend a little time at Margaritaville. The cabanas at Half Moon Cay were already all booked when I booked our cruise in early March...so I'm thinking of doing some snorkeling there, visiting the pirate ship bar, lounging on the beach and walking around to see the sights. I'm a beginner as far as snorkeling...and we just purchased our own gear to take with us. As far as Freeport, we don't have a whole lot of time at that port...so perhaps thinking about the Brewery excursion and a little shopping. Had originally thought about the Jeep excursion at Freeport, but that excursion pretty much lasts the whole amount of time that we are in port and I just want to relax and not do any rushing around whatsoever and then miss getting on the ship before it leaves port or end up being one of the "runners". LOL! Still pondering over the excursions! Decisions...decisions!

 

On the ship, I would love to do the "Behind the Scenes" tour. We tried to do that on the Imagination cruise, but due to being the last cruise before Imagination's dry dock...they cancelled it after we had booked it. We did the Chef's Table and loved it, so we hope to do that again on the Pride.

 

June can't come fast enough! :D

[singbluesilver1]

I'll be on the pride two weeks from tomorrow, I've enjoyed reading the thread. Thanks everyone!

 

 

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[stewartgirl721]

What night is the best to head to the steakhouse? We are on the Pride for the Florida Nassau Freeport Oct 12, 2014 cruise if that matters.

[bmorecat]

We are on the same cruise! There are ten of us and we are doing the steakhouse on the first night.

 

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[Grannycb]

The best evening for the Steakhouse is the first night. You get a free bottle of wine. The first night won't interfere with either formal nights or tiredness from shore excursions. It's a terrific way to start a cruise.

[NCTribeFan]

I'll be on the pride two weeks from tomorrow, I've enjoyed reading the thread. Thanks everyone!

 

 

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That will probably be me you'll see kicking and screaming as they force me to leave the ship so you can board. :p

 

The various Ports of Call boards have lots of useful info about excursions. Remember that although HMC is in the Bahamas, it's included in the Caribbean section on the Private Islands board.

[stewartgirl721]

Thanks for the responses bmorecat & Grannycb. That's also what I was thinking. :D

[rrraydon]

What night is the best to head to the steakhouse? We are on the Pride for the Florida Nassau Freeport Oct 12, 2014 cruise if that matters.

 

 

I agree with going to the steakhouse the first night... and it has nothing to do with the FREE bottle of wine the first night! OK, maybe it has everything to do with the free bottle of wine. :p My thought is, if you're planning on spending the money to go to the steakhouse anyway, it might as well be on the night you get a free bottle of wine. :D

[LikeToCruiseNCruise]

Does anyone know what shows are currently running on the Pride?

[absolutely brilliant]

I agree with going to the steakhouse the first night... and it has nothing to do with the FREE bottle of wine the first night! OK, maybe it has everything to do with the free bottle of wine. :p My thought is, if you're planning on spending the money to go to the steakhouse anyway, it might as well be on the night you get a free bottle of wine. :D

 

The free bottle of wine is a nice perk but it is also a nice way to start your cruise with such a fabulous dinner. And since the first day of vacation is usually so hectic it's so nice to have a relaxing dinner instead of the noisier somewhat rushed dinner in the MDR. Last cruise we ate at Steakhouse on the first & last nights...Great way to begin & end our vacation...& we plan to do the same on our next cruise on the Pride in 2015!

[VA Cruiser]

Thanks for the dining info. I thought I got it right but find the Carnival site to be very confusing and specific ship info lacking. Good thing we have this site for "real" information.

[NCTribeFan]

I think the Carnival site has some very useful info. Newbie cruisers would do well to read through the FAQ. We see all these repeat threads about basic info that can easily be found there.

 

Problem with asking all the "experts" here ;) is that you may ask one question and get 12 different (mostly conflicting) responses from 15 different people. Not all that helpful. At least I don't think so.

 

As for the free bottle of wine, I found the white to be horrid. I ended up pouring 1/2 down the sink a couple of days later. This coming from someone who buys 3/$10 bottles at the grocery store and enjoys them! Yes, it was THAT bad. :eek:

 

And I forgot to call the hotel about the shuttle. Must do that today!!

 

Looks like we may not have the warmest weather next week to start. Was hoping to park myself on the Serenity Deck for two days and just read and relax. Hadn't planned on packing heavy, warm clothes so maybe the forecast will improve as we get closer.

[dixieva]

We found the free red wine in the steakhouse the first night to be undrinkable! Really bad so I wouldn't go the first night if the free wine is the main reason you going on that night.

[NCTribeFan]

dixie - I've been told from some who have tried both that the red was slightly more palatable than the white, so that should tell you how horrid it was!

 

Well folks. I was SO EXCITED to try a French Door cabin.

 

And then I discovered I could upgrade myself (yes, I'm my own Upgrade Fairy) to an AFT BALCONY for $15 more.

 

Of course, I spent about an hour on hold yesterday with Carnival trying to explain to the person that this was possible. I hate to call my wonderful PVP on his cell on a Sunday. But I ended up emailing him and he called me back a few minutes ago to get my credit card number for the $15 bucks.

 

I kept trying to tell the woman yesterday that I had gone through the online (fake) booking process with ONE passenger and it was going to let me have an aft on Main that holds 3 people but she insisted that she couldn't move me because of capacity issues. And that I'd lose my OBC (no, I won't - it's a shareholder credit and has nothing to do with the fare code booked!).

 

Anyway, he's wonderful and I'm moved and I may not be spending as much time on Serenity Deck as I had imagined. I had the cabin next door on Miracle and loved it (that was only my 2nd of 2-ever balcony cabins in 20 cruises). I never thought I'd have one again. But I'm sailing in one for <$100 night as a solo. Just couldn't pass it up! :D

 

Never mind that it smells of bacon in the morning and you can hear the singing waiters while getting ready for late dining. :p

[meatloafsfan]

Never mind that it smells of bacon in the morning :p

 

To me that would be a huge plus!

 

Enjoy your AFT balcony!

[PaulMedik]

........

 

And then I discovered I could upgrade myself (yes, I'm my own Upgrade Fairy) to an AFT BALCONY for $15 more.

 

.......... :p

 

 

NCTribeFan,

 

If you keep upgrading you are going to be in an aft wrap suite before Sunday! Nice Job! :D

 

Just curious; what would your OBC have been if you had kept your interior (First one, not the French Doors)

[NCTribeFan]

Yes, this was my 4th cabin change. And that was after moving from another cruise to this one. I'm not normally so undecided. Started out on Fantasy on 5/6 in an inside with 2 friends. Moved to Pride to get HMC and just because I love the Spirit-class ships (and no solo supplement - after tax season, I really just need peace and quiet and really didn't think I'd get that with my friends on Fantasy - see my 9/1/13 Fantasy review).

 

Started out with an inside, moved to a 4K ($60 increase), then moved across the hall to get a better view between the lifeboats. Now moved to an aft balcony for a whopping $15 more.

 

Total upgrades cost $75 from inside to aft balcony. For a solo.

 

Shareholder OBC is based on number of days and is unrelated to cabin category, so it is $100 for a 7-night cruise. Got a nice $250 OBC for my 14-day HAL cruise.

 

The closest I'll ever get to an aft wrap is your photos, Paul. Well, I was next to one on Miracle and poked my head around the divider one day to look longingly at the loungers on the aft wrap. :p

 

I eat more bacon when I cruise than the rest of the year combined. I do NOT need anything to make me eat even more!

[PaulMedik]

......

 

The closest I'll ever get to an aft wrap is your photos, Paul. Well, I was next to one on Miracle and poked my head around the divider one day to look longingly at the loungers on the aft wrap. :p

 

..!

 

NCTribeFan,

 

If your aft is an aft facing then you will likely have your own lounger. Our boys had one on each of their cruises in aft cabins (Beside our wraps), and the aft facing cabin beside ours on Pride had one.

 

On our next cruise I'm going to bribe / tip our steward to acquire a lounger from the serenity deck..... :p