Had our site visit today!!!

[tinkerbell_82]

Hey everyone! We had our site visit today and spent about 3 hours this morning on the Carnival Paradise checking out the venues and ship. It was such a great experience! We were able to choose our locations for the ceremony and reception and really get a feel for how things will go on the big day. I highly recommend scheduling a visit if you live close enough to your port.

 

On another note, the fabulous guest relations employee who took us around today was awesome. She was patient with us while we explored every nook and cranny of the ship and asked a million questions. Plus, she gave me an entire set of funtimes for last week for planning purposes (YAY), copies of the kids club info for all of the age groups, AND a huge stack of deck plans so I can include them in my welcome packages.

 

Just wanted to share what I did today! If anyone has any questions about the wedding set up, etc. on Carnival fire away! :)

[Oppalopa]

Hello I live in Clearwater and congrats on your upcoming wedding. Are you going out of Tampa?

[tinkerbell_82]

Hi there! Yes we are. :)

 

 

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[Saraharoman]

Hey everyone! We had our site visit today and spent about 3 hours this morning on the Carnival Paradise checking out the venues and ship. It was such a great experience! We were able to choose our locations for the ceremony and reception and really get a feel for how things will go on the big day. I highly recommend scheduling a visit if you live close enough to your port.

 

On another note, the fabulous guest relations employee who took us around today was awesome. She was patient with us while we explored every nook and cranny of the ship and asked a million questions. Plus, she gave me an entire set of funtimes for last week for planning purposes (YAY), copies of the kids club info for all of the age groups, AND a huge stack of deck plans so I can include them in my welcome packages.

 

Just wanted to share what I did today! If anyone has any questions about the wedding set up, etc. on Carnival fire away! :)

Hi Tinkerbell_82,

 

My fiance and I are actually getting married on the Carnival Paradise on September 21, 2013. We talked to the wedding department about setting up a site visit but there will be no additional opportunities until October. Just wondering if you would mind sharing some information about your visit. Also, what rooms did you choose for your upcoming ceremony and reception? Any tips or words of advice to offer? Anything at all would help. Thanks.

[nixiemaiden]

Does it cost anything to do this? Sounds like a great idea. I didn't know you could do this.

[Carnival_Brides]

Does it cost anything to do this? Sounds like a great idea. I didn't know you could do this.

 

Nope it's free. You have to have purchased a wedding package and you're only allowed 4 people total (We took Mom, Grandma, my wife and I). You board with the wedding party and meet the third-party coordinator and Carnival guest relations person and get to see the different venues (some set up if there is a wedding) to figure out "your vision". It was a nice day for us and helped us to realize that an embarkation wedding was not for us. The only downside for us (I hear this is changing) is that we couldn't buy drinks or anything since we didn't have a Sail and Sign card, but we got to eat lunch and mosy around.

 

A few of us have written reviews on these:

 

Carnival Imagination: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1378320

 

Carnival Pride: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1593422

 

Another Carnival Pride: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1530311

[tinkerbell_82]

Hi Tinkerbell_82,

 

My fiance and I are actually getting married on the Carnival Paradise on September 21, 2013. We talked to the wedding department about setting up a site visit but there will be no additional opportunities until October. Just wondering if you would mind sharing some information about your visit. Also, what rooms did you choose for your upcoming ceremony and reception? Any tips or words of advice to offer? Anything at all would help. Thanks.

 

Hi Sarah! Congrats on your upcoming wedding! I'll be sure to write a juicy review for you so you can get all the details before your wedding. :)

 

When we first got there there was a little confusion about the visitors list. We were sent back and forth to different lines 3 times or so before we found the person who had the list with our names on it. After that we were checked in and a wonderful Carnival rep came by and walked us through the front of the lines of security. She showed us the holding area where there were wedding guests waiting to board, and we boarded with them. After we got on board a guest services rep (her name was Luciana) greeted us and spent 2.5 hours taking us around to every nook and cranny of the ship.

 

My advice is to make a list of questions you have before you go. Take lots of pictures, and of you are planning on doing any decorating at all take a tape measure (We want to do an aisle runner and I dont know how long/wide it needs to be). We emailed our wedding planner and told her we wanted the Main theater (I think its called the normandy lounge) for the ceremony and the nightclub for the reception. We live local and have invited over 100 people so we are anticipating a pretty big group. While I was there I also got to talk to a coordinator from the wedding experience who was very helpful as well.

 

I'll post more in a bit and attach pics of the different venues so you can see them. :)