Cruise Virgins

[2VV]

We are scheduled for the Fantasy, Feb 5, 4 night Bahamas cruise. This is our first time for 3 couples from Iowa, so dont know much other than we have airfare and the boat paid. I booked a room at the Radison, as it seems many have done on here. As far as transport we (wife and I) might rent a car and leave it at the hotel. the other 4 have a later flight into Orlando on the 4th than we have.

 

Anyway, can someone tell me the process of boarding a ship. We will likely take the Radison transport to the port (is this a good idea?). From their what goes on? I dont want to sound like a moron here but I have no idea what to expect, I assume its not a simple as walking up to the boat and walking on.

 

Can someone give me a breakdown of the boarding process?

Are there security check points?

Will our luggage be searched (dont really care if it is)?

Are you allowed to take carry ons onto the boat?

Do they take your luggage from you at some point?

 

Thanks in advance for your response.

 

2V

[CTMak]

2VV

 

I am booked on the Fantasy (4-nights) on Jan 8 so I can't tell you exactly about the boarding process for this ship yet. But I have been on 10 cruises 5 with Carnival, and the process is pretty much the same.

 

First thing -- make sure you fill out your "Fun Pass" on line. This will save you loads of time at check-in. "Go to the Carnival website, click on "Fun Pass" towards the bottom, and fill in the information. (You will need passport numbers, flight info, etc.)

 

Taking the hotel shuttle is fine. Ttypically, if you rent a car you have to drop off your luggage at the dock (more on that later) and then drop off the car as their shuttles are too small for people AND luggage). So the hotel shuttle is fine.

 

When you get to the dock, there will be porters to take your luggage. You will have already put the Carnival tags that come with your documents on your luggage (cabin #, deck, etc.) Usually you tip them $1 or $2 per bag. Your luggage willbe delivered to your cabin anytime prior to 7:00 PM usually.

 

By all means take carry-ons. I usually carry-on my toiletries, change of clothes, bathing suit, bottles of wine, etc.

 

All kinds of theories on when to arrive. As "virgins" I would get there early 10:30, 11 around there. You will then go through a security check much like an airport. You will then get to the Carnival counter where the staff will check you in, check your passports, take an imprint of your credit card, and give you your Sail & Sign cards. These serve as your cabin keys as well as your ship account for charging everything (no cash at bars, just sail and sign cards).

 

The point is you want to have max time to explore the ship. Your cabin may not yet be ready. No problem. Ususally you can drop off your carry-ons in the cabin and head to the Lido deck for lunch and people watching. Walk around the ship (they give you handy little deck-plan cards).

 

Don;t sweat it. Nothing to stress over.

 

And have a blast!!!!

 

CTMak

[big_duck]

What do you mean by "leave the rental car at the hotel"?

[beaming90]

We were on the Fantasy that same week, this past Feb. It was wonderful. We stayed in Orlando, and took the Carnival shuttle. But that is because we didn't want to rent a car. Just have a great time! It is a wonderful cruise! And it is much warmer then the midwest is at that time of year!!!!!!!! :D

[2VV]

[quadfote=big_duck]What do you mean by "leave the rental car at the hotel"?[/quotesdfadfa

 

I guess I would rent a car for 5 days, drive it to hotel on the 4th, do a little sight seeing, leave it at hotel when we are on cruise, and return it to the airport when we leave orlando. when the shuttles will run me about $100 for the two of us, The price of a car at $100.00 seems like we would have a little for control.

[2VV]

CTMak,

 

Do the porters look through your luggage? I assume they check all bags looking for liquer? Same at the Security check, do they check every carry-on? Also my buddies booked through a TA, I booked directly at Carnival, their TA told them they do not need passports. Does this sound accurate?

These are questions I need to ask the carnival rep when she calls me back but she seems to be too busy. When you say carnival tags, is this something you get from Carnival prior to the cruise. Thanks for your insite.

 

2V

[Miler Higher]

Hi,

 

another virgin here, of sorts :rolleyes:

 

You can drop off your luggage before you check in?? I had rented via Hertz, they said they will take us to the port............... i just did not want to drag luggage from the Alamo rental to airport for a shuttle.

 

Going out of FLL on the Liberty on jan. 29th, just booked and just found this great site.

[BambiRumsey]

You can do a one way car rental though a lot of agencies. I know AVIS has a Cape Canaveral office with a free shuttle to and from the port, you might want to check out how they measure up price wise.

 

You should check with the hotel first if you plan to leave a car there. I know some of the airport hotels around here let you do that but unsure about that area.

[BambiRumsey]

A LOT of FLL hotels have free airport and cruise port shuttles, the Best Western, the Ramada...

 

The luggage tags will come with your cruise documents which you should get in a couple of weeks...

 

Passports are not currently required but are a better idea than hunting down your original (raised seal) birth certificate.

[sgriff17]

Mmmm.....(cruise) Virgins :)

[big_duck]

CTMak,

 

Do the porters look through your luggage? I assume they check all bags looking for liquer? Same at the Security check, do they check every carry-on? Also my buddies booked through a TA, I booked directly at Carnival, their TA told them they do not need passports. Does this sound accurate?

These are questions I need to ask the carnival rep when she calls me back but she seems to be too busy. When you say carnival tags, is this something you get from Carnival prior to the cruise. Thanks for your insite.

 

2V

 

Lock your luggage at the pier. It will be x-rayed. Your carry-on will be x-rayed as well (similar to airport security). Proper luggage tags will be shipped with your cruise docs. If the wrong tags are shipped or you get TBA tags they can be replaced at the pier.

 

State issued birth certificate and photo ID are all that is required up till the end of next year.

 

As for the rental car do a one way rental.

[flynrph]

Mmmm.....(cruise) Virgins :)

 

Down Boy! Down! Down!

[2VV]

Thanks Don,

 

Good advice here, glad I posted. I know this discussion has reared its head many times, what are they looking for when they xray, do they care if theres beer cans or bottles? I dont plan on taking a home bar along but want a few drinks for the cabin to sit, relax after and before any events we do. I've heard alot of suggestions from water bottles filled with liquer, to shampoo bottles filled, I just dont want to go to that extreme.

[big_duck]

Thanks Don,

 

Good advice here, glad I posted. I know this discussion has reared its head many times, what are they looking for when they xray, do they care if theres beer cans or bottles? I dont plan on taking a home bar along but want a few drinks for the cabin to sit, relax after and before any events we do. I've heard alot of suggestions from water bottles filled with liquer, to shampoo bottles filled, I just dont want to go to that extreme.

 

Plastic bottles work best, if not glass wrapped in a towel. In either case put them inside large ziplock bags to prevent accidents. :eek:

[CTMak]

2VV

 

While I have never tried to bring booze on board, I have brought plenty of wine -- both when first boarding the ship, and then at various ports. Never tried to hide it. Never had a problem.

 

My view is that Carnival kinda draws the line at hard liquor -- hence the suggestion of vodka-filled water bottles. In fact the docs say you can bring on "fine wine" and/or champagne for your special occasions. If you bring wine with you to the dinning room, they are supposed to charge you a corkage fee. (Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't)

 

And BTW, there are about a gajillion threads on here about smuggling booze on board. So maybe take a look there would be my suggestion.

 

All your questions seemed to have been answered by other posters.

 

And while Big Duck is right about needing only the state issued birth certificates, make absolutely sure you get the official one with the raised seal etc. Twice now when checking in the people in the next line were having problems with the type of BC that they brought. (Don't know how/if it was resolved.) If you have a valid passport, use it and you eliminate any "immagration" problems.

 

Enjoy!!!

 

CTMak

[2VV]

Another stupid question I suppose but, if the arrival time on the last day of the cruise shows 7:00 am at the port. What time can one expect to be off the ship and ready to catch a ride to the airport? I booked a 12:05 flight, so hope I didnt screw that up. Thanks for the other suggestions and help!

[big_duck]

Another stupid question I suppose but, if the arrival time on the last day of the cruise shows 7:00 am at the port. What time can one expect to be off the ship and ready to catch a ride to the airport? I booked a 12:05 flight, so hope I didnt screw that up. Thanks for the other suggestions and help!

 

Could be tight, see the pursor and request early flight disembarkation.

[2VV]

Could be tight, see the pursor and request early flight disembarkation.

 

As a first timer I dont know the process for departure from the ship, what is the process ? Our flight leaves at 12:05 from Orlando (50 min drive from port), so we will need at least two hours for being picked up, arriving at MCO, flight check in ect. I hate to change flights as the next one leaves six hours later but dont want to run stuck here either. Thanks again for your info Big Duck.

[big_duck]

As a first timer I dont know the process for departure from the ship, what is the process ? Our flight leaves at 12:05 from Orlando (50 min drive from port), so we will need at least two hours for being picked up, arriving at MCO, flight check in ect. I hate to change flights as the next one leaves six hours later but dont want to run stuck here either. Thanks again for your info Big Duck.

 

There are several things that can hold you up, ship arriving late, idiots that take there time paying there bills (you here them paged over and over), shortage of immigration folks, etc.

 

To me, there is no sense ruining a good vacation by stressing about getting back home. Book the later flight. Take your time getting off the ship, go get a rental car and spend the day in Orlando, or at the Kennedy Space Center or sumpin.

 

Do what ever you can to keep it "no worries, mon". :D

[pinkcup]

Hi! I'm also from Iowa and we just cruised the Inspiration December 10-15. We had close flights and were just fine. We were at the airport by 10:30 a.m. the morning we got off the ship. We had plenty of time getting to the ship also. We got into Tampa at 12:30 and we were on the ship having lunch by 2:00. Embarkation and Debarkation were extremely fast. But, the story could be different in Orlando. Hope you have a great time! Where in Iowa are you from?

[Cruise Monkey]

I agree with "Donald" Duck :p While you can probably get away with the flight that you are on, booking a later flight will save you from worrying and rushing at the end of your vacation. I try to book my flights for late afternoon so I can take my time and get to the airport and relax. Like big_duck said many things can slow your debarkation down, and you'll hear them say that no one can get off of the ship until customs has cleared the boat, then there is traffic, etc.

 

I used to live in Iowa - cold, cold place :(

[big_duck]

I agree with "Donald" Duck :p While you can probably get away with the flight that you are on, booking a later flight will save you from worrying and rushing at the end of your vacation. I try to book my flights for late afternoon so I can take my time and get to the airport and relax. Like big_duck said many things can slow your debarkation down, and you'll hear them say that no one can get off of the ship until customs has cleared the boat, then there is traffic, etc.

 

I used to live in Iowa - cold, cold place :(

 

Stop ape-ing me. :D :p

[Cruise Monkey]

Stop ape-ing me. :D :p

 

I don't get it. Ohhhh, ape-ing, and I'm a monkey, I got it. :p

[BND]

Just be aware, we did the same cruise 13-17 Nov. When we checked into the Radisson they asked what time we wanted to go on the shuttle. We took what they said was their earliest shuttle at 1130. We didn't get on a shuttle til about 12:10. The guy running the shuttle boarding area was full of crap. Because the RC ship was leaving the same day and had a lot more people, about 5 shuttles for them pulled up while we stood there. He finally told us after we asked him 3 times that it was because of "traffic" that our van hadn't come back for us. BS. There was no traffic. When the van finally showed up after being gone for at least an hour, it had several rough looking guys carrying cases of liquor off. All we can figure is they were the last off the ship and the van waited for them. And he told us there just weren't that many people going on the Fantasy. Obviously their focus that day was the larger ship with more people. Last time I checked we paid just as much for our room as they did. I just wish Radisson had been honest with us. We almost grabbed a cab. We wrote a letter to Radisson and have heard nothing back. Actually, driving and parking over there is very easy. We got to the pier and on by 12:30 since we had Skipper's Club. The line was pretty long at that point.

 

As for the cruise, we had a great time. We're already planning a longer one for this fall for our 25th anniversary.

[holly1960]

Have a great trip. We went in October and got on and off the boat with no problems.