Carnival Secrets they Usually Don't Tell You About 2

[Elaine515]

After spending hours reading the original thread...I "borrowed" this from one of the posters. Let's see if we can continue this one and make it a bit easier for all of us....

 

 

If you don’t like what is offered on the main menu, you can ask the waiter for either a steak or grilled chicken.

Any pasta item on the main menu CAN be ordered as an appetizer. Just ask.

Post cards, foreign postage stamps and playing cards are available at the pursars desk.

Get a FREE lanyard at the Casino. Pursars desk will punch a whole in it for you.

24 hour pizza place also serves Calzones and Caesar salads. If you want a special topping and they have it they will make you that pizza.

Go to tea-time they have different snacks and its a nice place to relax

Ask the steward if you forget something ie toothpaste...they often have samples

Bring baggies of assorted sizes. For saving snacks for excursions and wet clothes.

Take the tour of the galley

They have an early and late night seating as well as captains party...take advantage of both for double free drinks.

Bring on own bottles of water, and soda and save $$$

Bring a reusable cup with lid...less trips to get a drink

Ask for your drink in a plastic cup (not the fancy one ) saves $$$

You may be able to eat free lunch at the places they charge for dinner

Orange juice is available at the same place all day they just remove the label

You may get a free facial if you call the spa and ask to be a volunteer.

Tie a bright ribbon/scarf to your luggage for easy spotting. Also can work on cabin door

When the regular hot tub is too full, use the spa one.

Use of the sauna/steam room is free

Use the spa shower if multiple people need to shower at same time

Ask for children’s dessert menu (banana splits)

Bring Duct tape

Bring a highlighter

Bring post it notes

Sit close at the port talks sometimes they toss out free stuff

You can ask for extra pillow chocolates

Bring an extension cord/power strip

Early and extra tips for stewards = more perks for you

You can order free drinks from the bar in the room at Captains dinner as opposed to those on the tray.

Bring travel hooks to hang stuff in your room

Bring a few paper funnels to make filling the water bottle easier.

Bring towels from home to avoid fearing losing one

Take a hand towel with you to the beach it will help remove sand and is handy for lots of other things too

Baby powder helps remove sand

Use a magnet to trick the balcony door into thinking its closed to keep the air on

Most ships have a secret door...find it

You can also print cards to take with you on the layout of the ship...simply use a word document...format in normal 8pt bold: Times New Roman: 8pt and divide into for equal columns.

Self disembarkation is FASTER

It is possible to ‘smuggle’ alcohol on board

Make sure to stock up on "snacks" before debarkation. The wait can be pretty long and everything is closed during this time. Except for the coffee shop which takes cash

Cards become demagnetized don’t use your credit card for the room safe

If the safe will not open call the desk they will send someone to open it

If you get sea sick you can go to the Pursers desk and ask for pills. They are free there

Use your telephone for leaving each other messages in the cabins

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

You can also ask your Room Steward for the book that is in your cabin

Bring a night light/ alarm clock

Bring water shoes

The ship uses two types of toilet paper. Both are made by the same company. The sandpaper they call "envision" you will not want to subject your bottom to for 8 days. Ask your room steward to make sure that your stateroom is stocked with the "preference" paper instead.

Bring a sweater the dining room can be cold

 

 

Hope this helps

[dallas52]

thanks needs alot of these.

[JerseyGem]

Thank You Elaine! I've been slowly reading through those many, many pages of hints. Now I can stop and just use your condensed version- my family thanks you- I may even cook dinner tonight now that I have the time!

 

My tip- we bring an over-the-door shoe bag to attach to the bathroom or closet door (or just hang in the closet). We have a cloth one, so it folds up very compactly (I don't think those plastic ones would travel well). This is not just for shoes- we use it to hold all the assorted junk (cameras, sun blocks, water wallets, duct tape, highlighters, etc) that would normally clutter up the cabin.

[I&MsMom]

Elaine - Thank you, thank you. All that wonderful information in one spot!

 

I agree about the over-the-door shoeholder. It keeps the "desk" clear of stuff, so it can actually be used! I hadn't thought of the travel hooks...great idea!

 

Happy cruising, everyone!

[LHP]

A great thread...keep it going! No matter how long a person has cruised there are still things we can learn!

[coachj]

One of those hints is incorrect. They serve breakfast before debarkation on Lido deck and in one dining room. At least they did as of July 06.

[honeywell]

"You may be able to eat free lunch at the places they charge for dinner"

I've never heare this one...anyone do this?

[smrn]

The room steward can also get you some sea sick pills.

[Darlipoo]

The over the door shoe thing, does it actually go over the door or hang on a hook on the back of a door?

[golf_hawaii]

Sorry...newbie cruiser here. What are the duct tape, post it notes and highlighters for?

[Patinthehat]

Sorry...newbie cruiser here. What are the duct tape, post it notes and highlighters for?

 

People always say that when they bring these things, things happen (such as things breaking, etc.) and they use the duct tape a lot.

 

I think highlighters are good for telling your fellow roommates where you are going, for example, if you're going to the pool for a few hours, you leave a note on the door that says "On the lido".

 

The highlighters are good for highlighting the activities you want to do in the Capers (the daily newsletter that says all of the things happening each day), but I find that a little arrow with a pen works fine.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Pat

 

P.S. Just wondering, where are you from "Up north"?

[OhioJeff]

Sorry...newbie cruiser here. What are the duct tape, post it notes and highlighters for?

 

highlighter can be used to mark things on the Daily Capers cruise newspaper)

 

post it notes...to leave room steward notes

 

duct tape...in case something breaks or rips..like luggage.

 

I dont bring any of the above, but many do.

[kgk]

Could this be made into a sticky. Seems to me that this is a great list and I for one don't want to have to search for it (again) :) Thanks

[luckycruzer]

The over the door shoe thing, does it actually go over the door or hang on a hook on the back of a door?

 

works with over the door type wreath hanger(from craft store)metal is really thin and works fab. I put a small dowel rod(wood) in the top hem for stability. mine is on its 6th trip in 6 months. I write on strips of masking tape to label each pocket, if yours isnt see thru.

[CruiseCentric]

Could this be made into a sticky. Seems to me that this is a great list and I for one don't want to have to search for it (again) :) Thanks

 

You can subscribe to this thread or bookmark it in your favorites.

[ccartman2]

All the seasoned cruisers are going to have a good laugh at my expense, but you can detach the days activities instead of carrying the whole capers. I didn't figure it out until the last day of my first cruise.

[Vanessa L]

All the seasoned cruisers are going to have a good laugh at my expense, but you can detach the days activities instead of carrying the whole capers. I didn't figure it out until the last day of my first cruise.

 

Hey, I think this is great!!! You know, we were ALL first time cruisers once ;) I appreciate your adding this info. I've been cruising a long time and still learn stuff on this board, almost daily!!

[CruiseQueen0107]

I never knew you could pre order a botte on telephone line that's great how much do bottle's run is it very pricy?

~Lauren

[LHP]

I never knew you could pre order a botte on telephone line that's great how much do bottle's run is it very pricy?

~Lauren

 

I am going on memory here...warning number one...LOL

 

I believe a 750 size of rum was around $40.00.

(but don't quote me) I just remember it being a little less than 4 times what we pay for it at a liquor store.

[traveltart]

One of those hints is incorrect. They serve breakfast before debarkation on Lido deck and in one dining room. At least they did as of July 06.

I was confused by this one as well. I thought you could eat and hang out on the Lido deck while waiting to debark. I had asked about this before and had a few people respond that you can have a "leisurely" breakfast on Lido day of debarkation.

[Elaine515]

I was confused by this one as well. I thought you could eat and hang out on the Lido deck while waiting to debark. I had asked about this before and had a few people respond that you can have a "leisurely" breakfast on Lido day of debarkation.

 

Since we live within an hour or hour and a half from Miami or Pt Everglades, we always just get breakfast and hang out on the Lido Deck eating breakfast and watch everyone get off... SO YES, you can eat on the Lido deck while waiting to debark.....

 

BUT.... a couple of times we were held up getting off the ship, for one reason or another, and they did close down the Lido Deck and there was no food available and we were just wishing for something to drink or a little something to eat....

 

 

:)

[ronkay]

what happened to the other posts?

[dromMOM]

Don't forget to bring the thick rubber band found on Broccoli to hold the button to the on position on the dryer! This button needs to be held for the dryer to work.

[Elaine515]

This isn't a Carnival secret but I think its a good thing to know/do...

 

If you plan on using your credit card either on the ship or on the Islands, call your credit card company prior to cruising and tell them where you will be using it, when you will be using it and to please note your account.

 

While cruising with our friends last year, their card was denied in Antigua. Boy were they embarrassed. Luckily, they used ours but when they did get back, they were told that because the credit card company couldn't get in touch with them and they had also used it on a previous Island, they thought it might be fraud so stopped charging privileges.

 

Hope this helps and its ok to put this here :)

[crusinmama06]

I have talked about this on the Family Board but I will add it here for those with young children....

 

--If you travel with young children, bring a cup (sippie cup) because they WILL give your 2 year old a huge goblet glass of apple juice as you sit there praying it won't spill over your table mates.

 

--The kids club acitivities MAY be wrong in the kid compass. They have been known to have misprints. So double check all events before you leave your child.

 

--The kids will get a smilie cookie on their pillow during turn down service on the first night. So don't refuse turn down service for that night. :)