Carnival Secrets they usually don't tell you about #2

[Julia1969]

I was told in the last month that they no longer sell the Purex 3-in-1 sheets. Hope that is incorrect. They are a great thing to pack in a ziplock. No spillage.

 

It is true. . .They no longer sell them. I loved them for my college students. I would send them in the care package I would send. It is such a disappointment but we now use the dropins and they work well also.

[Stooz]

There's a little door sensor on the frame that when the door closes it makes contact and turns the AC back on. If you put a little magnet on that sensor while the door is open the AC will stay on.

 

 

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[huneymoonerz]

Muster station F on the Imagination is at the pool on the Lido deck. They have you sit at the tables while everyone else has to walk and stand. No going anywhere as the lifeboats are there too. They ask for no smoking or eating during but other than that you are just sitting in your bathing suit on the pool deck during muster. AWESOME.

[mishka422]

There's a little door sensor on the frame that when the door closes it makes contact and turns the AC back on. If you put a little magnet on that sensor while the door is open the AC will stay on.

 

 

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Thank you!!! I will have to find a magnet. That's an awesome idea

 

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[SavvySarah]

It is true. . .They no longer sell them. I loved them for my college students. I would send them in the care package I would send. It is such a disappointment but we now use the dropins and they work well also.

 

Interesting. Maybe this is a regional warehouse storage thing, but I am in SC and still get them all the time. Matter of fact, our Family Dollar was stocking three huge boxes last night.

[monakayk]

Great info on this thread. Even though I have cruised on CCL several times...it is always nice to find out new 'secrets'. :D

[YB Nrml]

At the front of some of the ships-at least the Fantasy class--there is the secret deck. A great place for the sail away or to star gaze at night. Look at the deck plans on decks 6 and 7.

 

A packing tip that I learned a long time ago is to roll your clothes-shirts, pants, dresses and jackets-instead of folding them. The clothes will shake out and be pretty much wrinkle free and they seem to take less room in the suitcase. Plus they fit in the odd places in your suitcase.

 

If you are going to smuggle a bottle or two on the ship place it in your shoes in your suitcase. I have heard that it works just fine. :)

[Golfing Dan]

If you own 100 shares of stock, you will receive OBC on every cruise. $50 for 3-6 day cruises. $100 for. 7 day cruises. We purchased 100 shares last summer and have already received $300 in extra OBC.

 

 

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[Golfing Dan]

Book your next cruise while on your cruise and receive OBC on your next cruise. This program replaced FCC (future cruise credit). $50 for 3-6 day cruises. $100 for 7 day. Occasionally they double the OBC for certain sailings. We booked our 5/11 cruise while on 2/15 cruise and doubled ours

 

 

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[mishka422]

There's a little door sensor on the frame that when the door closes it makes contact and turns the AC back on. If you put a little magnet on that sensor while the door is open the AC will stay on.

 

 

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Ok, silly question....will a refrigerator magnet be sufficient or does it need to be a much stronger one?

[pauleydm]

If you do not want to wait for your luggage to be delivered to your room by a porter, you are allowed to bring your own luggage on by yourself:)

[Froufie]

If you do not want to wait for your luggage to be delivered to your room by a porter, you are allowed to bring your own luggage on by yourself:)

 

Only if it's small enuf to fit thru the scanner! Otherwise you do need to leave it with the porters...and just bring your carryon with you....

[leepoffaith]

Here are a couple of things I have learned that I find very useful. Some of them are not Carnival Specific:

 

1. For people with AT&T cell phones and unlimited texting: ALL incoming texts (picture and video included) are free anywhere in the world including on the cruise ship. I've had several people tell me this was not correct, but in fact it is. Outgoing is 50 cents for regular texts and $1.30 for picture and video. This is a great cheap way to communicate with family and friends while on the ship. From AT&T in regards to text messages received while roaming internationally (anywhere in the world including cruise ships): "Text, picture or video messages received while roaming are charged at domestic pay-per-use rates or deducted from your domestic messaging package."

 

2. Continuing with #1, at least for AT&T make sure to purchase an international data package if you plan to email and Facebook while in port at foreign countries. I'm addicted to Facebook and Email (at least I admit it!) :) and I plan accordingly. 120 megs is $30 and is plenty of data to upload photos and check email.

 

3. Go to the bank before you leave and get some $2 bills for room service tipping. In my opinion $2 is perfect for a room service tip and the room service stewards seem to like getting them. It's a common misconception that you can not get these anymore.

 

4. Sometimes Carnival allows free bridge tours. I took a cruise on the Carnival Legend in May of 2010 and I was able to take a bridge tour with my cruise partner for free. Just ask the customer service desk. This may have changed this policy since then, but it never hurts to ask!

 

5. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have your passport on you when you get off the ship. I spoke with many people during excursions that didn't bring their passport with them because they were worried about someone stealing it or so they didn't have to worry about it getting wet during the excursion. If you don't have your passport and the ship leaves without you it can be extremely difficult to leave the country you are stranded in (depends on the country).

Edited April 16, 2014 by leepoffaith

[sjcruiser]

Here are a couple of things I have learned that I find very useful. Some of them are not Carnival Specific:

 

1. For people with AT&T cell phones and unlimited texting: ALL incoming texts (picture and video included) are free anywhere in the world including on the cruise ship. I've had several people tell me this was not correct, but in fact it is. Outgoing is 50 cents for regular texts and $1.30 for picture and video. This is a great cheap way to communicate with family and friends while on the ship. From AT&T in regards to text messages received while roaming internationally (anywhere in the world including cruise ships): "Text, picture or video messages received while roaming are charged at domestic pay-per-use rates or deducted from your domestic messaging package."

 

2. Continuing with #1, at least for AT&T make sure to purchase an international data package if you plan to email and Facebook while in port at foreign countries. I'm addicted to Facebook and Email (at least I admit it!) :) and I plan accordingly. 120 megs is $30 and is plenty of data to upload photos and check email.

 

3. Go to the bank before you leave and get some $2 bills for room service tipping. In my opinion $2 is perfect for a room service tip and the room service stewards seem to like getting them. It's a common misconception that you can not get these anymore.

 

4. Sometimes Carnival allows free bridge tours. I took a cruise on the Carnival Legend in May of 2010 and I was able to take a bridge tour with my cruise partner for free. Just ask the customer service desk. This may have changed this policy since then, but it never hurts to ask!

 

5. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have your passport on you when you get off the ship. I spoke with many people during excursions that didn't bring their passport with them because they were worried about someone stealing it or so they didn't have to worry about it getting wet during the excursion. If you don't have your passport and the ship leaves without you it can be extremely difficult to leave the country you are stranded in (depends on the country).

 

Whether on a cruise ship, or traveling overseas to the Middle East or Asia, ATT International Text plans are my best friend. The cost is cheap compared to making an actual call. Its easy to receive or send texts to stay updated on any important matters, and once in port, we find a wi-fi signal and use Skype to make important calls or to check up on everyone, and the house when applicable.

[dd2355]

3. Go to the bank before you leave and get some $2 bills for room service tipping.

 

It's a common misconception that anyone likes getting a weird barely in circulation denomination. :D

 

Seriously, don't waste your time. Just tip with regular $1 bills.

 

Some previous discussions:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=459772

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1265737

[Cruznjuly]

It's a common misconception that anyone likes getting a weird barely in circulation denomination. :D

 

 

 

Seriously, don't waste your time. Just tip with regular $1 bills.

 

 

 

Some previous discussions:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=459772

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1265737

 

 

Last month, We had people Fighting over $2 in Puerta Vallarta and Cabo. We even had them lowering the prices if we paid with $2s.

 

 

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[leepoffaith]

Last month, We had people Fighting over $2 in Puerta Vallarta and Cabo. We even had them lowering the prices if we paid with $2s.

 

 

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I've always had good feedback on the $2 bills as well, that is why I recommended them. Another post had mentioned it being a rarely used currency, but that is exactly why people like getting them. It's something out of the ordinary and spends just as good as $1s do.

 

The only rational explanation I've heard of not using $2 for tipping on the cruise is that they don't work in the vending machines and it's easier for the crew to use $1 for those. This does make sense, but I'm going to continue with the $2 bills since I've always had good feedback on them. To each their own!

[yuki5900]

with respect to getting good "feedback" about the $2 bill, may i say that as someone who receives cash tips (i am a server), i feel that if someone was giving me a "unique" tip and they asked me how i felt about it, it would be difficult for me to respond any way except favorably...wouldn't want to seem ungrateful! as another example, people will sometimes ask me if the tip they have left is "ok", be it 5, 10, or 20%. while i would love to answer honestly, most restaurants will not let me. trust me, we prefer (regular) cash to souvenirs. ps...fyi, that little printed card telling me you want to help me find god and save my soul does not pay the bills! :)

[dolphiness]

Maybe a "touchy" subject, lol...but alot of the facilities at the AI beaches have someone either handing you a square of paper, or no paper in the stalls. I always put a baggie with some paper in it in my bag when getting off in ports! Also for the older ladies, your feet and ankles may tend to swell some on the ship. You might want to purchase some OTC fluid pills. Just saying.....:-)

[Burrinda]

Going on our third cruise in September but it has been a year since our last one. This thread both gave me some new tips and reminded me of ones I had forgotten. Thanks! My favorite tip I have used was the clear shoe bag that hangs on the bathroom door. With just the two of us we still used it a lot. We put everything from flashlights to toothpaste to pens in it and always knew where these items were.

[Linda the Book Lover]

The best thing I learned from a seasoned cruiser was that you can order a banana split for dessert in the main dining room. It's actually from the kids menu so it is small, but my husband LOVES this. On our last cruise he ordered one and I thought the other men were going to mutiny when they say he had the banana split - they asked about it and our poor server ended up making all the men banana splits for dessert a few nights. Funny none of the women ordered them.

 

Hmm I might order one if I have room after dinner or may have an all dessert meal. After all the kids menu is for second childhood this senior likes to have sometimes. :D

[sandij]

As for the TP tip, I always carry those small packs of Kleenix, cause some places do really dole out the TP.

Also, my DH always takes his Kindle (the old one with 4G) and is able to go onto facebook almost anywhere, so we always have the kids leave a message or two each week so I know everything is okay.

[DONDON55]

I always bring zip lock bags with us. Hubby luvs his fruit so we fill up the bags and bring them back to the cabin so that he has a snack whenever he wants it. I load up on those mini cheese danish at breakfast and have them late at night with my tea. luv sitting out on deck with a nice hot cup of tea and my mini danish. :cool::cool::cool:

 

I also bring a roll of quarters and a few detergent pods just in case I decide to do a load or two of laundry. I do it on a port day as soon as the laundry opens and when the ship is quiet and it helps to cut down on the luggage. The pods are easier than bringing a bottle of detergent.

[ccruisequeen]

If you are Platinum or have FTTF, ask your porter for a special Orange sticker to make sure your bags are loaded first. Otherwise you'll get them delivered with everyone else.

 

[mintsugarcube]

This REALLY works! The bags supplied are very thin so are hard to fill to capacity unless they are somehow "strengthened" (like with the tape).

 

Would you please explain this to me. I thought the packing tape was just to tape it shut at the top! What do you tape? The whole bag? Just around the bottom? Thanks.