Carnival Secrets they usually don't tell you about

[Brenna2112]

mrs141~~ What are your dates and destinations for the Freedom?

It would be nice to know where the "secret" doos are huh. :p Anyone?

Oh it would be so kewl if you could tell about your experiance on the Freedom if you are going before me.

 

Ok, back to page 35. I may catch up to this page by the middle of next week. . . . .

[cruzinnluvinit]

This is how to find the doors. Go to the front of the ship and look for a small deck that no one seems to be on. Then figure out which floor that is on. The doors look a little different. Some of them are to the right and left of the stage on some ships I have been told. Good luck

[umpalumpa14588]

I agree Flounder315. I am only on page 22 :eek:

(315 is my telephone area code)

But I am plugging away it. OMG I am SOOOOOOO addicted to this stuff LOL

We are hosting a pre-cruise party next weekend (one heck of a bash) and I am going to be printing out the best tips and tricks I can find and passing them out to our whole group. At last count we had 35 souls going ! ;)

 

One thing I am noticing so far is in peoples sigantures I am not seeing anyone who has traveled on the Carnival Freedom. Is there something I should know but don't? LOL Maybe it's haunted or somthing, lol I can only hope.

click here for the "FREEDOM 1-24-2010" roll call

 

Well when I am done going through this HUGE thread, I will add some of my own tips and tricks :D

 

Thanks to everyone who is sharing all these great tips and tricks!!

XXOO

Brenna2112

 

Where abouts in the FL are you? We are just off Seneca lake. What a coincidence!

[cruisebie]

mrs141~~ What are your dates and destinations for the Freedom?

 

It would be nice to know where the "secret" doos are huh. :p Anyone?

 

Oh it would be so kewl if you could tell about your experiance on the Freedom if you are going before me.

 

Ok, back to page 35. I may catch up to this page by the middle of next week. . . . .

 

Here's how to find the not so secret "secret" doors.

 

Go all the way forward on deck 6 or 7. The doors are located on both the port and starboard sides of the ship. Take a look at the deck plans, here

http://www.carnival.com/Deck_Plan.aspx?shipCode=FD&icid=CC_Carnival%20Freedom_236 and you will see what I mean. I think you can access this area from deck 8 & 9 also, but we didn't try that. Once you are out there, there are stairs that lead to the high decks. FWIW, I wasn't so impressed by this area. There are some fairly high metal walls surrounding this area that I couldn't see over. So I could look at sky and wall, that's all. I'm pretty short, though, ymmv.

[Brenna2112]

[quote=umpalumpa14588;20798261]Where abouts in the FL are you? We are just off Seneca lake. What a coincidence!

HI umpalumpa :o

I am right in~between Seneca and Cayuga lakes. UP north a little bit kinda near the outlet mall. "makes shopping easier!" LOL :D

u?

[umpalumpa14588]

I too am right between the two lakes! More towards Seneca though. Ovid area. What a small world!

[Terence81]

I was curious about those Carnival Coupon books and saw them on ebay. But before I looked into buying one, I called my travel agent and she offered to send me one! There are a lot of "buy this and get that" even though we likely won't use many. You all may want to try doing the same to get your own coupons...

[jlazz]

Tipping the room steward daily or even every other day works wonders ie. Free book, towels etc. (We leave left over alcohol in our bottles for them as well if we can’t finish it before the end of our cruise) they always make sure we have goodies to take home then.

 

How much do you tip the room steward each day and do you typically tip the room steward upfront as well? thx!

[dmdiver]

We had one of those coupon books our very first cruise. I think we only used a couple of coupons out of the whole thing. So, if it's offered as a perk from a TA, fine, but certainly didn't seem something that would be worth paying for.

 

As far as steward tips, we've never tipped more than what is charged on the S&S card. The steward is worth every penny of their tip, but we also keep a neat cabin - hopefully no extra work for them. We don't bring anything that requires icing down. As long as I have towels, I am happy.

[dmdiver]

We had one of those coupon books our very first cruise. I think we only used a couple of coupons out of the whole thing. So, if it's offered as a perk from a TA, fine, but certainly didn't seem something that would be worth paying for.

 

As far as steward tips, we've never tipped more than what is charged on the S&S card. The steward is worth every penny of their tip, but we also keep a neat cabin - hopefully no extra work for them. We don't bring anything that requires icing down. As long as I have towels, I am happy.

[marshhawk]

Creme brulee is a whole lot easier to prep for 9 than white chocolate bread pudding for one, but if they need two who want it before they fix it, let me know!!LOL

[Terence81]

We had one of those coupon books our very first cruise. I think we only used a couple of coupons out of the whole thing. So, if it's offered as a perk from a TA, fine, but certainly didn't seem something that would be worth paying for.

 

Definitely agree. Had I bought this on ebay, I would have regretted it. However, you can't argue with free!

[ms simba]

I thought that I had one of those coupon books before. So I went to eBay and looked at the Carnival coupon book that was being offered. Yep, it was the same one. Not a thing I wanted to use in the whole book.

[polar_purple]

But you know that nothing with a zipper is thief-proof, right? Ever see the video on how to open a zipper with a ball point pen?

 

I thought I would share this & see what others have experienced. We booked all our excursions online in advance through Carnival. When we checked the excursion list that was left in our room, all the excursions were $10 more than what we had paid. I wonder if it is truly cheaper if you book in advance or if there just happened to be a price change between the time we booked & the actual cruise date.

 

LOL about the zipper & ball point pen - it DEFINITELY works. I just tried it earlier this summer on our zippered suitcase, and had my case opened (and closed) in seconds. Very easy to do, unfortunately. Never knew that was possible until I saw that video back in May or so.

 

Fortunately, we never pack anything too valuable in our suitcases. So if a thief really wants my (dirty?) underwear, I suppose they can have it.

[LHP]

Not sure but this seems to be the new thing to do. Go to John Healds Blog and ask for something free, he seems to do it everytime.

 

Let me stop this rumor in its tracks....

 

going on John's Blog to ask for something free is TACKY...

 

do not do it!!!

 

Bloggers like myself who have followed John from day one DO NOT DO THIS.

[KatSt]

But you know that nothing with a zipper is thief-proof, right? Ever see the video on how to open a zipper with a ball point pen?

 

I thought I would share this & see what others have experienced. We booked all our excursions online in advance through Carnival. When we checked the excursion list that was left in our room, all the excursions were $10 more than what we had paid. I wonder if it is truly cheaper if you book in advance or if there just happened to be a price change between the time we booked & the actual cruise date.

We've also noticed that excursions are more expensive once you get on the ship. I think it does pay to book online early.

[Georgiagolfer]

Let me stop this rumor in its tracks....

 

going on John's Blog to ask for something free is TACKY...

 

do not do it!!!

 

Bloggers like myself who have followed John from day one DO NOT DO THIS.

 

Thanks, well stated.

[flounder315]

does the ecstasy safe have the 4 digit butoons or do you use a magnetic strip? I can not remember.:(

[cruise-wife]

Thought I'd move this guys tips up. They're really complete ;)

 

Dr. C's Cruise Page

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... about me

 

We love Cruising and you will too!

 

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CRUISE TIPS! some will suprise you!

 

 

Order a second entree or second anything in the dining room

 

If, by chance, you don't like anything they have on the menu, ask them to bring you a steak or a grilled chicken breast...

 

Any pasta dish on the main entree section of the menu is also available as an appetizer.

 

On some of the Carnival ships, you can get a deck of cards w/Carnival logo, just by asking at the purser's desk.

 

In the casino, they'll give you a lanyard, as well as punch a hole in your S&S card for you

 

Room Service is free. (2-3 dollar tip is pretty standard)

 

Drink cards: not such a good deal for adults, unless you are a big soda drinker. Drink cards for adults are $38 and $28 for kids. The card allows you to get a glass of coke, which is about 2/3 can. A can of coke costs $1.50 for the whole can. That is about 30 cokes over a 7 day cruise (not including the time you are off the ship) or 4-5 per day. Alternatively consider getting one card and using it to "buy" sodas for your significant other (you must be discreet about this). As you move through the ship, order one soda at one bar and another soda at the next bar. That way, you only have to drink 2 per day to break even.

 

Ice tea is free in the dinning room.

 

At the Captains cocktail party, avoid what the waitresses are carting around drink wise, and order directly from the bar, all drinks are free.

 

If you have kids 12 or under, they can order soda or "pop" free of charge with dinner in the assigned dining room at night only (not in the buffet areas). You may have a waiter/waitress attempt to charge you for it, as it seems they are not all aware of this policy. A smile and a reminder that Carnival offers free carbonated beverages to children at dinner was all it took for us, our waitress returned later and apologized, while informing us that we were indeed correct.

 

Casino tips

1) if you play blackjack, one secret to keep in mind is the Fun21 table - there are NO QUEENS in the decks

2) Slots are really tight.

3) Best odds are on the 3 card poker.

 

Also about the Pizza.............If there is a special kind you like (different toppings than they show in the display case) if they can get them they will custom make you a pizza the way you want it, it takes about 8 minutes, but you do have to take the whole pizza...........which if it's the way the whole family likes it......no problem.

 

 

The Purser's Office will carry stamps of the different countries that you are going to. You can buy stamps ahead of time so you don't have to find a post office in each port. It makes it much easier to send postcards home from the different ports.

 

 

How do you add the cruise countdown numbers on your signature?

http://www.geocities.com/quietman01970/maker1.htm

1. Type in your cruise time.

2. Use the "Generate UBB Code" button.

3. Copy the code and paste into your signature.

 

 

 

If you want orange juice any time remember the exact place you got it during breakfast time. All they do is remove the label “orange Juice”, making you think there is no OJ.

 

How about a FREE FACIAL?

After getting settled in your cabin, go up to the salon - spa area and let someone at the desk know you are willing to be a volunteer for whatever during the spa tour later that day... I haven't missed a free facial yet, and it's kind of fun to be the model and listen to all the questions people ask!

 

Also, check out the INTERNET CAFE for a drawing for free internet minutes (day one only)... check the CAPERS waiting in your cabin.

 

If you need aspirin, seasick pills, or a variety of general medications, check the "0" deck where the waiting room is for the doctor. There were free samples for the taking in individual packets... also a weigh scale in case you need to weigh a suitcase (or yourself!).

 

Order your coffee and Danish the night before so when you wake up, you won't have to wait for that first cup of coffee.

 

I have been told that if your kids play ball, it's best to bring your own, as sometimes the older kids will monopolize the ball given by the Purser's desk.

 

When the lights start to dim in the dining room this means Entertainment is coming. Make sure you have your camera ready!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Pride is a spirit class ship - they have refrigerators in balcony rooms (I've been on Spirit). Triumph is a destiny class ship - they have refrigerators as well.

 

Paradise is a fantasy class ship - no refrigerators in balcony rooms (I've been on Ecstasy, another fantasy class ship and as I know it, only the suites have frigs) I think the Conquest class and Spirit class ships have refrigerators in all cabins.

 

Bring a thermos style hot/cold mug with a lid and fill with coffee, ice tea, lemonade or self made ice coffee from the lido deck dispensers and ice machines.

 

We are using all of the same color bright bandannas tied onto the luggage handles. When you debark and go into that large and I mean large warehouse area to get your luggage you will instantly know which pieces belong to you

 

Money clips...that have MAGNETS holding everything together......Never and I mean never put your S & S card in the same pocket of your money clip!!!!! As the magnets will demagnetize your card and you won't be able to get into your room or even buy a drink.....At the Pursers desk they can fix this...

 

There are steam rooms and saunas in the SPA that people may not realize are free to use, they are separated so men and women can't go together,

 

Tip for dessert lovers: In the dining room when they bring the dessert menus out, ask the waiter for the children’s dessert menu. Here you will find a plethora of desserts you've come to love...banana splits, hot fudge Sunday’s and all sorts of other things. I like there normal desserts but give me a banana split any day

You can always get ice cream added to any dessert

 

If you want good bananas at the end of the cruise you better pick some up at the beginning of the cruise and put them in your fridge, they cannot pick up fresh fruit so by the end of the week they start looking a little bad.

 

 

When standing in a long line to embark, pay the porter to take your bags and that will allow you to "cut" in line- don't forget to tip

 

Don’t sit in the balcony when attending shore/shopping talks, they give stuff away and it rarely makes it past first 15 rows of main area.

 

If booking more than 8 cabins call the Carnival Group department- it’ll be worth it!

 

If the port is not a tender port and you are there for most of the day you can come back on board, freshen up, drop off packages, grab a bite to eat (it's already paid for) and go back out.

 

Book Shore excursion on your own in MOST cases- we saved over $500 by doing this last year and got to see & do more. Check these boards for suggestions- they were all pretty accurate. Ask lots of questions.

 

For all the deck drinkers - Order all your drinks from the same bar server during the week. By mid-week they usually slip you a free one now and again. At minimum, you can make sure there's a little kick in your mix drinks.

 

If you want to order sandwiches to take off the ship in port, you don't have to order them the night before. Take Ziploc bags with you and order them in the morning. You are absolutely NOT allowed to take food off into port, but they only check your bags getting back on the ship.

 

 

DO NOT try to take food off at the end of the week though. You will get caught there.

 

Kids can order Shirley Temples, Roy Rogers, cherry coke & cherry sprite with their drink Cards.

 

 

Don't over plan your day. It's very easy to plan something for every minute you're awake. But you won't make it to everything, and the sun will sap your energy. Plan the things you REALLY want to do, and keep others in mind. If you have been looking forward to the galley tour for the whole trip, you don't want to be too tired to enjoy it.

 

 

If you own at least 100 shares of CCL stock, you are entitled to shipboard credit depending on the line and the length of your cruise. For a 7 day cruise, it amounts to $100. The credit can't be used for gaming chips, and must be asked for in advance.

 

If you are traveling to the port from an airport, take the Super shuttle instead of the ship transport. It’s cheaper, less crowded, and departs more quickly. If you have three or more people, it might be cheaper to take a taxicab.

 

If your stateroom is cold (mine usually is), call your steward and ask for 2 extra blankets

 

For first timers, if you have early embarkation to the ship (before the cabins are ready), proceed directly to the lido deck for a buffet lunch. This is also the time the bar staff will try to get you started on your bar bill with their drink specials (often called a "bon voyage"). However, there are free alternatives, like coffee, tea, lemonade, and fruit juice.

 

Pack a change of clothes in your carry on baggage. Sometimes it may take some time to get your baggage.

 

If you are going to Jamaica, something they don't tell you is that US citizens can bring back an extra bottle of alcohol duty free, if it is both made and sold in Jamaica.

 

Buy a beach towel at the first port for cheap. Good souvenir and allot less expensive than the Carnival ones

 

Bring an extension cord or a 3 pug adaptor...there is never an electrical out let where you need it. Also, buy an 'over the door shoe organizer(avail. at Wal-mart for about $5) and hang it over the inside of the bathroom door....it's a great place to put all of your toiletries that would otherwise clutter up the minimal bathroom counter space. Good for holding many other things as well!

 

One of the first things I do is ask my room steward for the use of a bath robe during the cruise. These are usually standard in suites, but if you write your steward a note while you are out to dinner the first night (I always include a cash tip as well) there will be one (or two if requested) waiting for you no problem. This saves so much room in my luggage and is useful for the pool and also spa visits. Enjoy!

 

Remember most cell phones have alarm clocks built in so you don’t need to pack a real alarm clock.

1) Remember to set it to ships time!

2) If you plan on using it in ports, call your carrier and activate international roaming, usually about $1 a minute.

 

The safes operate with a magnetic strip. You can use anything with a magnetic strip, (room key, credit card, store discount cards, etc.) A good choice is the blank gift cards you find in stores. There is no value to them until you purchase it and have it activated, so basically a nothing card to you and it has the magnetic strip.

 

Always bring extra clothes and toiletries in your carryon bags (on your return trip home). If your flight gets overbooked they will usually offer you airline vouchers if you stay overnight and take a flight out the next morning.

 

Wait until the last day to purchase your pictures, that way you can choose the best. If you pull them each day, they should hold them for you (at least they will on RCCL) that way you don't have to search through everything for the same pics day after day either! And sometimes they will have discounts for purchasing multiple pics!

 

On the Conquest class ships (not sure about other classes) the couch has drawers built in underneath.

 

Bring Ziploc’s to put your swimsuits in for traveling home. Then you don't have to worry about them drying out before you leave!

 

 

If you have the souvenir glass you can order any frozen drink as a refill not just the drink of the day. They do charge you the price of the other frozen drink you ordered but you get it in the bigger glass. When you place your order say "refill’, it is only $4.95 compared to the original $6.95. If you order the drink of the day in the small glass, I believe you also pay $4.95, but it doesn't hold as much as the hurricane cup."

 

If you order a bottle of wine at dinner and don't finish it, they will cork it and bring it back for you the next night. This is nice for people who don't normally finish an entire bottle at dinner but don't want to pay the higher price of ordering by the glass.

 

Bring at least 2 bathing suits so you never have to put on a wet one.

 

Happy hour (half off) in the afternoon when in port

 

Bring lots of $1 and $5 bills for tipping cab drivers, porters, and to have the exact change when bartering at the straw markets and stores in port. Contrary to popular belief Crew members DO NOT LIKE $2 BILLS! They don’t work in their vending machines.

 

The Mini Bars All Full... But If You Ask, They Will Empty Them For You...

 

When they push the two twin beds together to make a king they just overlap the twin sheets. They will put king size sheets on if you ask.

 

I always take some rum onboard and use the free 24-hour punch on the Lido deck to make some great Rum Punches.

 

Do NOT buy the cruise video. If you do insist on buying the video, wait until later in the week, when they give you $5 off and 12 free wallet photos. The video would cost $25 with 12 free wallets, making the video really only cost $10 (4 wallets for $5). If you’re in a suite with a VCR you can make your own! (Bring your own blank VCR tape)

 

When the ships are in port, look for LOTS of specials to keep you on board!

 

Forget Rum and Cokes. Long Island Ice tea is best Value, best Drink with all the Booze they pour into the Glass...Very Good Too!!!!!

 

Always take along a white hand towel when we go off the island. It comes in handy for wiping off your hands after suntan lotion, sand, or wet it down to cool off with.

Learn and use the crew member's names, and smile. They're doing the same for you most of the time, and a little kindness can go MILES. You'll be surprised at the service you can get. "Please" and "thank you" can work miracles.

 

Send yourself a Bon Voyage gift of champagne and snacks. Carnival does a FANTASTIC job of having it set up in your cabin all ready for you when you board the ship.

 

Make photo copies of your passport (inside page with your photo/ID#/date of issue/exp), credit cards, and air tickets - if they're not e-tickets - and put them in the safe, another set of copies keep in your luggage under the bed [also carry one of the sets with you-not in your luggage in case it goes missing on your flight].

 

Be VERY CAREFUL of cotton or cotton-blend swimsuits in the Jacuzzis - these are SALT WATER, and hot salt water will BLEACH your suit - trust me on this one.

 

When having any service in the spa - tell them up front you already use and have MOST of the Elemis products, and order off the web. They won't try to SELL you to death.

 

SUNSCREEN, SUNSCREEN, SUNSCREEN!

1) Take different SPF’s and use them based on your anticipated exposure times

2) Always take something along the lines of 40SPF waterproof.

3) Aloe burn gel and/or other sunburn remedy in case you “forgot” to use sunscreen!

4) DON”T underestimate the amount of sun you are getting!

5) Don’t forget to apply it to

a) Feet (especially if your wearing sandals in port)

b) back of neck

c) under arm area

d) Anything that is exposed

 

HAT! HAT! HAT!

 

If you have a balcony cabin bring a Bungee cord to hold the door open.

 

Bungee cords also make nice clotheslines.

 

If you ask your room attendant, he/she will see to it that you get a sharps container, almost immediately from the infirmary...(you don't have to go there yourself!!) thus, not having to put them into the trash, causing a possible problem for them. They do not charge for this.

 

things take FOREVER to dry in the bathroom, so if you have a balcony take along a short piece of clothesline and some clothespins and rig up a line on the balcony. Hang things out there and they will dry MUCH quicker. You

 

Here’s a twist on clothes line we used karabiners to secure the lines and then strung our clothes through the lines, like through the sleeve or pant leg. You’ll never lose any clothes due to wind.

Never pack all of one person’s clothes in the same bag. Separate everything equally amongst the bags even if it makes unpack a bear.

Get your luggage outside the door early on the last night.

Pack lots of undergarments in your carry-on.

At breakfast there is an omelet station, they will fry your eggs to order, all you have to do is ask.

 

Ladies try to wear a bathing suit that doesn’t leave tan lines that don’t match with your formal evening wear.

 

Make sure that your bank and credit card Company are aware that you will be out of the country. They will note it on your account so that you won't be flagged for fraudulent activity.

 

Buy a bottle of water for the trip back to the ship and ask for change in local currency then you can have some foreign money to put in my scrapbook,

 

In the dinning room, if there is anything you want, it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

The water aboard cruise ships goes through extensive processing to assure its purity and taste, and is as clean as any bottled water you can buy. If you do buy a bottle of water, refill it from the faucet in your stateroom and keep it in the fridge.

 

If you don't have clothes on every hanger, be sure you have at least something hung on every other hanger in the closet. That way, they are cushioned, and you won't be kept awake with the noise.

 

Got an infant--ask for a whole container of milk from the dining room to take back to the cabin with you. That way you don't have to keep visiting the buffet to refill a baby bottle.

 

Clothespins are very useful! Use them to clip curtains closed (on balconies or room dividers). Or, use them to hang bathing suits or clothing to the clothing line in the bathroom or chairs on the balcony, you can also use them to weight down the bottom of the shower curtain.

 

Make sure, at the very least, that you purchase the embarkation photo. That is the ONE photo that is sure to have a date on it, and makes a good way to remember all the countless cruises you've been on.

 

Bring a flashlight with you for late-night bathroom trips.

 

Take a flask so you can “spike” your free fruit juice.

 

Your cell phone is your friend. Take it and you can use it when you are in sight of land.

 

The over-the-door shoe holder is valuable for the bathroom, get one and take it.

 

Do not use a debit card for your sail and sign account - credit cards offer lots more protection, and the hold on funds they place on your debit card account can be a problem for some people. Use cash or a credit card.

 

The hot tubs are all salt water, except for the one in the gym.

 

Post-its are good, but you can leave notes on the door on a white-board; small ones are inexpensive and come with magnets on the back and a wipe-off pen

 

There are several different methods of getting you off the ship in tender ports. On some of the older ships i.e., Elation and Inspiration, they stick a colored dot on your shirt when you meet for your ship booked tour. They let the people with colored dots off the ship first. Go to Wal Mart and buy a pad of assorted colored dots. When they are loading the tenders from the ship, get in line and paste your own dot on your shirt. We have gotten off the ship near the front of the line every time. We have used green, blue and orange dots in the past.

 

If your dining times are not what you expected, go immediately to the dining room upon boarding and they will straighten it out. If you delay or wait until after sailing, you'll probably be disappointed.

 

 

The menu is on your TV; you can just check and see if you like the selections ahead of time

 

Kids under twelve get free soda in the dining room for dinner.

 

On some ships, the balcony door frame has a button on the inside of the door frame. When you leave your balcony door open, the air conditioner in your room will not work while the door is open. Simply put a small refrigerator magnet over the button and your air will continue to run while the door is open.

 

If you are traveling to Mexico remember one very important thing. In Mexico they sell tons of sling shots made out of wood. I'm talking the Bart Simpson variety. If you have children (especially boys) they will want one. Do NOT buy one. The crew will confiscate it the second you try to board the ship as they are considered weapons. The crew will NOT hold them for you and they will NOT be returned.

 

My tip: use your telephone for leaving each other messages

 

Did you know you can call Carnival's Bon voyage department and pre-order alcohol to be delivered to your cabin? You can order bottles of hard liquor so that you can make your own drinks. You can't order online. You must call to set this up. It is a little pricey but worth it and cheaper than buying by the drink.

 

Do walk the entire ship on your first day. It will help you learn where everything is, and will help you discover spots that others never find.

 

On the formal nights - have your picture taken at each of the settings but only buy the good ones. After your cruise contact Carnival directly and they will send you a photo release so you can duplicate them.

 

Carnival now charges for the cakes it brings to your table for your birthday or anniversary.

 

And don't forget ......don't ever forget about the 24 hour Soft Serve Ice Cream (Chocolate, Vanilla and Swirled) and the Frozen Yogurt (also Chocolate, Vanilla and Swirled). And check your daily “Capers” for the Sea Days that they have the Sundae toppings available.

 

Ask your cabin steward for a foam pad for your bed. It makes the bed very comfy.

If you need an aspirin, seasick pills, or a variety of general medications, check the "0" deck where the waiting room is for the doctor. There were free samples for the taking in individual packets.

 

There are showers in the Spa, these aren't the normal cabin showers, they are like the 'rain' showers that you find in some higher end hotels it’s a great place for a guy to go shower while the wife is using the cabin bathroom for a formal night or something.

 

I find the easiest place to store larger suitcases after they've been emptied is under the bed.... good place to stash stuff you've bought and then lock the luggage... and it's out of sight and you're not stuck tripping over it.

Every room should have a hair dryer

 

there are two beach sized towels for you to enjoy at the pool or on an excursion. They only downfall is you have to keep up with them. If you loose them they will charge you $22.00. They are very nice and thick.

 

Bring a salt and pepper shaker and a bottle of ketchup up to your room for our mid-night snacks or whenever we brought our breakfast up. It is quite a convenience.

 

Ladies, make sure you don't forget your nylons, for they do not sell these on the ship. I hope this will be of some help.

 

Also for the formal nights, the gents can rent a tux and keep it for the entire week for whatever occasion. It costs somewhere around 85.00, which is not bad, although that’s without shoes.

 

Many people on the first day do not realize that the "Souvenir Glasses" are for keeps. We have found quite a few on stairwells, hallways, etc. We bring them home for the kids,

 

the "gold by the inch" and "silver by the inch" are all plated, not solid.

 

Don't be afraid to ask for extra pillows

 

On Paradise: Go to the children’s pool at the back, and go thru the little gates at the top of the stairs on the Port (Left) side that says conference room. This is not a crew area, and it is a nice place to sit and read a book.

 

Pack a 9x12" manila envelope with a piece of cardboard in it to keep our photos from getting crushed on the way home.

 

Another good idea is to take some souvenirs from your country or city to give to your waiters, room steward, etc.

 

Take large (1 or 2 gallon) zip lock bags to put things like the Capers and other memorabilia

 

Take a journal with you (like the ones at Barnes and Noble) and remember to write each day's events. They are so much fun to re-read years after the cruise.

 

You can also ask your Room Steward for the book that is in your cabin (a carnival book that tells about the ship), just ask and they may give it to you.

 

Take a light jacket or sweater.

 

DO NOT forget to bring LOTS of Underwater disposable cameras!!!

 

DO NOT forget water shoes!!!

 

For first time cruisers, here's the best tip ever, there will be some things that don't meet your expectations, and some things that surpass them. Someone will get a better deal than you did, someone will not follow the guidelines, somebody will cut in front of you, and someone will let their kid(s) be unruly. DON”T expect everything to be perfect, it won’t be! If you have a concern write the “Hotel Manager” a letter and forget about it (his or her name will be posted in the lobby by the purser’s desk). If you try and solve a problem at the purser’s desk you will only get more frustrated! (Most personnel at the desk are “newbie’s”).

 

SHHHHH, this is a secret…

Go ALL the way forward on the Upper deck on the left hand side. You will come to a place where there is a door to the left that looks like it only goes to another door. It will be VERY windy when you go through the 2nd door so hold on tight. There is a set of stairs that you CAN go down which leads to a very quiet and not very often used deck.

 

... whatever else

 

Cruising… A Do Not Forget List

 

Cruise documents, Travel agents information, Passports, airline tickets, Certified Birth Certificates, picture ID’s, personal phone book and travel insurance paperwork ………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………

Prescription Medications, seven day pill organizer, allergy medication’s, children’s Tylenol, Aspirins, bonine or Ginger root to prevent sea sickness (acupuncture wrist bands don’t work), Imodium-AD, Ex-Lax, Tums/Rolaids, Mylanta or pepto, Vitamins, Geritol, Zicam, Neosporin, band-aids, alcohol wipes, SPF lip balm, sunscreen, sunburn lotion, travel size bottle of hand sanitizer body lotion, individual packets of "wet ones”, anticipatory feminine products, birth control, Extra pair prescription glasses, eyeglass repair kit (screws and screwdriver), travel sewing kit, nail file, Q-tips, …………………...

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Lysol, Palmolive Dish Wipes, travel-sized bottle of Fabreeze, Downy Wrinkle Release (may produce a sheen when pictures are taken), sanitizing wipes and for some tours a zip lock with a small roll of toilet paper. Lint roller, Room deodorizers, glasses cleaner, ear plugs, sleeping mask, tweezers, curling Iron, hair dryer and a bungee cord to hold open the patio door in your cabin. ……………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Cell phone, Calling card, Camera, camcorder, Extra camera battery, film, digital chips and/or tapes, battery charger, disposable underwater camera, small camera bag with a neck lanyard, a Laptop for downloading digital pictures (or you can use most MP3 players with a large hard drive), binoculars, flat low power usage plug in night lights, portable CD player (MP3/Ipod, etc.) with miniature speakers, headphones, since most cabins only have 1 outlet you’ll want a small extension cord and a multiple outlet strip, voltage converter (especially if you want to use an electric razor in the bathroom), Flashlight, LED clock, travel alarm (most cell phones make a great alarm), walkie-talkies, Binoculars, …………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

door post-its, and an door hanging shoe holder (lots of pouches and only $5 at Wal-Mart), Sunglasses, Snorkel gear, aqua sox, hat (to protect from the sun), Backpacks, fanny pack, wrist lanyards, hole punch to attach cards to the lanyards, hats and/or visor, ponchos, windbreaker, waterproof sports watch with an alarm, I will bring my own beach towel (don't want to lose the cruise ships onshore, too expensive), rollerblades, Ice skates, (for voyageur class ships), cooler for beach excursions, Velcro strips (to hold the curtains open), ………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

flavored creamers for your coffee, insulated thermal mug, flask, A highlighter pen to mark the daily newsletter comes in handy, Zip-loc bags of different sizes, Extra cable ties & clippers, 8 1/2"x 11" cardboard and a big manila envelope for on board picture purchases, Spanish/English dictionary (or whichever one suits your trip), Journal, Diary or a notebook, pens, pencils, Crayons, waterproof pouches, specifically a “water wallet”, box of small dog bones to take snorkeling, empty collapsible soft sided travel bag (for taking home souvenirs and other purchases) two sided tape to put the cruise pictures up on the mirrors, pre-printed labels for postcards, door decorations so the kids can find their way back to the cabin, collapsible and don’t forget word searches, crosswords and coloring books or reading book for the flight also travel munchies and drinks. A “pop-up” hamper (5 bucks at Ikea) And DUCT TAPE!!! (Multi-colored if you’d like so you like to mark your luggage for easy identification). Bring a shopping list of people you NEED to buy souvenirs for, Name tags for any pre-arranged ship board meetings, and buy some good luggage tags and locks (locks cannot be used at the airport but they can everywhere else, they can also be used in room on a suitcase to keep private stuff private from the crew and children). And the kitchens sink. ………………………………………………...

………………………………………………………………………………………………

After you've packed everything, take a good look and remove 1/3 of your packed clothes. You can always use the ships' laundry room (if available about $4 a load). ………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Before you go don’t forget to……………………………………………………………….

Leave a copy of your itinerary with cruise line phone number for family or friends in case there is an emergency, Stop the newspaper, Stop the mail, Get everything dry cleaned, Make sure prescriptions are filled, Get traveler's checks, Send out b-day/anniversary Cards, set up your out of office assistant on your outlook, Make sure you line up someone to feed the pets, turn the answering machine on and the volume down, If you're taking the kid's out of school, make sure to notify the school that the kids will be out, turn down the heat to lowest level for pipe safety or pet comfort, remove perishables from refrigerator, set the timed night light, get lots of $1’s and $5’s (contrary to popular belief $2 bills are virtually useless to crewmembers) for tipping, Make sure the coffee pot is turned off the garage door is closed, Call a cab, set the alarm’s on the car’s and the house, …………… …………………...................................................................................................................Make a notation of where you parked at the airport at home (if you did park there); bring a good attitude, manners and a huge appetite! Oh, and don’t forget the spouse or kids.

 

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To email me

 

Dr.Crash@comcast.net

[MAC7]

does the ecstasy safe have the 4 digit butoons or do you use a magnetic strip? I can not remember.:(

 

4 digit.

 

Cheers!

[JoshGrrrr]

A flashlight for trips to the bathroom? Every cruise I've been on has a light switch by your head.

[suecav]

Thanks for re-posting the tips, Cruisewife. That was very helpful!:)

[Alaska-forget-me-not]

A flashlight for trips to the bathroom? Every cruise I've been on has a light switch by your head.

 

Flashlights are great because you won't wake your roommate by turning on a light.

[JoshGrrrr]

I can think of a thousand other things that would be more useful on a cruise than a flashlight. If I were going to take a flashlight, I'd need 4 suitcases for everything else.

 

I'm more of a light packer.

[bobsfamily]

4 digit.

 

Cheers!

Are you sure? Every (have not been on Ecstasy) Carnival ship I have been on it has been the swipe, never seen one with the digits. It may be so on Ecstasy but I would double check.