trixiegal

As I too recommend using Metro, the only disagreement then is where to base a hotel for a DC visit. And IMHO, the appropriate place to stay to visit DC depends greatly on just how many days pre-cruise you wish to visit DC. The more DC days, the closer you should stay to DC. If one stays in Hanover or Laurel, you will either be driving 35-45 minutes to drive (assumes NO traffic!) and park downtown, OR you will have to drive 20-25 min to Greenbelt Metro (again, NO traffic) and then an additional 30-45 minute train ride into downtown DC. And all this is EACH WAY. Since the poster has a car, the longer she plans to visit DC, the more beneficial it will be to be closer to DC. My suggestion of staying near a Metro station saves the 30-50 minute daily round-trip from a Baltimore-area hotel to/from the Metro. And again, none of the above even factors in the tremendous risk and hassles of area traffic on either I-95 or the BW Parkway should the visitor be driving anytime near the rush hours! I'm a Washington DC native and commuter, and it seems like you two are Baltimore or Baltimore-area residents so you probably have not had to routinely deal with the drives south to/from and into DC on a regular basis. If you did, you would definitely not want to be commuting or visiting DC regularly from Hanover as a base of operations for full-time DC touring! :)

Sigh... Haven't you heard about assumptions??? I'm a Silver Spring native, lived in DC for a few years for college AND in Greenbelt for seven years, so, yeah, all of my info is based on firsthand knowledge. You are making this much more difficult than it is. Guess you're not too familiar with my area and that thousands, YES, thousands of people commute to DC every single day on the BW Parkway from the Baltimore region. It's not that huge of a hassle and we know traffic is bad EVERYWHERE around the Beltway, so staying closer to DC in a Md suburb like Rockville or Bethesda does not guarantee less traffic. Ever been stuck on Rockville Pike/Wisconsin Ave during rush hour????

My advice was making it easier by having ONE HOTEL and not switching around hotels before even stepping foot on a cruise ship. It can be done without even driving to Greenbelt, especially by taking a MARC train from BWI or Dorsey into Union Station. I work in the hospitality industry in this area and hotel prices are very high in Bethesda, Silver Spring and Rockville compared to Elkridge and Hanover. I wouldn't suggest any tourists stay in Greenbelt.

If one doesn't want to drive, then stay in DC. Otherwise, you will experience some traffic no matter the time of day and pay for expensive parking garages in the city. Parking for the day at Greenbelt is minimal.

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Thinking about the Carnival Pride cruise leaving Baltimore on April 19, 2015. How early a flight from BWI do you think it's safe to book on the Sunday we arrive back in Baltimore? Thanks!

I wouldn't book a flight before 11am. I usually fly SWA out of BWI. And the security lines go pretty quickly in that part of the terminal. I'm not sure about the other airlines.

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To visit DC prior to your cruise, I'd drive further south to the DC suburbs (e.g. Greenbelt, Bethesda or Silver Spring), park at a hotel where parking is free and use that hotel as your base for visiting Washington using Metro. Then to board your cruise, either drive directly to Port of Baltimore, or to a park and cruise hotel nearby. It's simply impractical and a huge waste of time to try to stay in one place for both purposes.

I don't agree with this. I live closer to Baltimore but if you stay in this area (Hanover, Elkridge or even further south in Laurel) you will only be 45 minutes away from downtown DC. Silver Spring and Bethesda hotels are much more expensive. Greenbelt hotels can be very sketchy.

It can be real hassle to drive and find parking in DC, other than very expensive parking garages. I'd recommend staying in the areas I suggested above as a home base and driving to the Greenbelt Metro station and taking the train into DC. Then you'd avoid traffic but not have to worry about changing hotels the night before your cruise. Greenbelt Metro is only 20 minutes from Elkridge/Hanover and 10-15 minutes from Laurel.

Laurel can also be a bit sketchy but if you stick to hotels closer to the Laurel Regional Hospital, they are nicer and newer. I'm not sure if they do park and cruises packages down there.

Hanover is home to Arundel Mills Mall, which houses a sprawling outlet mall, mega movie theatre, Medieval Times, Walmart and even a casino. Many hotels to choose from with park and cruise packages. It's only 15-20 minutes to the port from this area. Elkridge is the least expensive and five minutes from Hanover. It's mostly business parks and residential homes.

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I used to work at the casino. Almost ALL of the hotels in the Arundel Mills mall area have a free continuous shuttle to the casino. It's big business for them and they've negotiated contracts to bring in players. Make sure you ask about the current promotion. You may get some free play!

You really wouldn't ever have to walk through a parking lot. The mall is built in a huge oval and you could walk around it until you get to the food court which is adjacent to the casino's main entrance. The mall security is all over the lots and they would direct you to the nearest shuttle stop or mall entrance if you got lost. It's a huge, sprawling commercial area and could be confusing for people that aren't familiar with the area.

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It's so expensive sailing out of Baltimore. I've never been on the Pride, except when I went on a TA tour, and I live 20 minutes from the port. I hope it works out for you, though. It's hard finding deals to go anywhere during Spring Break. My family and I are trying to do a short getaway in Florida the week before Easter and it's like finding a nail in a haystack to stay anywhere decent for less than $300/night.

Just a tip, look on the Baltimore port forum for great park and cruise hotel ideas. I'd suggest staying close to around where I live near Elkridge or Hanover, where there is a huge outlet mall, Walmart and even a casino.

FYI, Ocean City is over 2 hours away from Baltimore. I'm not a fan. Rehoboth Beach in Delaware is nicer IMO and less crowded.

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IMHO, Early Saver is only advantageous for cabins that are available in mass quantities...inside, ocean view and balcony. Specialty cabins like suites, aft view, scenic ocean view and spa cabins sell out quickly, so there is no necessity for Carnival to drop the prices. We have a inside cabin for our cruise on Saturday and have 735.00 in OBC:)

I was in an inside spa cabin but I just switched to a 6D OV cabin for $60 more. Hopefully, prices will drop but if not I like the one I switched to better anyway. Just found out there's not a thasso pool on the Sunshine so I doubt I'd being using the spa that much anyway.

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Right now the black is 29.99 on their site, regular and petite sizes. It also comes in a long gown option. There are four ties that come with it, just a ring of fabric with a snap you can move around as a knot. I've come up with at least 5 different ways so far. :)

 

Great call on the jacket, I may do that for my 14 night cruise, I need 3 looks ;)

I'm buying one! What a great deal!!!

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If Santa Carolina is still served , it is just cheap Chilean wine. I own wine shops and this one is about $5.99-$6.99 per bottle, so don't expect great wine. Their reds have a medicinal taste. Just my opinion.

ITA. Here's a photo of the bottle. I usually love Chilean Reds, but my bottle wasn't good.

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Yep, I had the free red wine on the Breeze that I, after we left the restaurant, ended up putting down when I had a seat in one of the hallways and forgot it. It was not very good, so no big loss when I went back to retrieve it and it was gone. Wish I had gotten the Chardonnay instead.

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Just google Last Minute Cruises and the top 2 pick will be a website that gives you pricing on cruises leaving the next 90 days. Some great deals to be found if you know where to look!

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I just found out about this channel and Dream Cruises, so I've been DVRing them the past few weeks. Now I have to time the find to sit down and watch them...

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Also look into Hyaluronic Acid serum...it is an intense moisturizer that I have begun using at night over my Vitamin C Serum. There are many brands. I have been using VoilaVe. Got it on Amazon and it has great reviews. I have only started using these items, so can't really give any review yet, but my skin does seem to be brighter and very soft.

Thanks for the tip on this brand. I see a couple of products I want to try.

For a really good retinol line, also on Amazon, try Skincare Ldel Cosmetics. It also gets great reviews.

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Thanks for the great review! I'm going with my teens next June on an 8-day on the Sunshine. So glad we are past the kid's club age but, believe me, it happens faster than you think! So important to cherish when they're young because they grow up way too fast. But having the freedom to try more nightlife options are a plus.

Have you tried the Disney line yet? Your kids would love it!

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That video sold me on those cabins. I need a BIG price drop for this to happen!

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I'm also looking for a good moisturizer for winter weather. I switch out according to climate and if my skin has been breaking out due to hormonal changes(just turned 40). I like Mario Badescu(Ulta), Garnier, Kiehl's, Neutrogena. I'm curious about all of the raves on Olay so I may try it out.

Has anyone ever tried the medi spa line, Obagi? It's expensive but it gets excellent reviews online.

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I'm very sorry about your mom. Please know that I'm praying for you even though I don't know you. I lost my mom at the tender age of 18, so I know how precious that time with her is when you have it!

Your reviews are perfect. I hope we cross paths one day because I enjoy a cocktail or three when I'm on a cruise but never seem to find anyone fun like you to hang out with. My kids are teens and even if they were of age they wouldn't want to hang out with me- reformed party girl. The apples fell far from the tree when it comes to being into parties lol

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Nice review on the Sunshine! The ship looks very nice compared to Breeze and Dream, the only 2 Carnival ships I've been on.

Was the steakhouse worth it? I loved the one on Dream but wasn't as impressed by the one on Breeze.

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The same thing happened to me in Jamaica many years ago with human hair. It was a disaster. The salt water destroys it and makes it mat and tangle. I learned my lesson not to bother with anything other than clip-on extensions on vacation. The upside is the cruise water is so soft so my natural hair behaves and has less frizz and poufiness.

Have a great cruise!

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Trying to relive my family's fantastic time on the Breeze this past summer and found your review again! My son turned 15 on this trip and he, my DD and I had one of our best family vacations on the gorgeous Breeze. The CD was amazing and very easy on the eyes, so my DD and I had a tiny crush on him. He called us the "beautiful girls" (blushing) with that cool English accent. The comedian was so hilarious, so we saw him once for the Adult show (DD is 18) and once for the Family show. He made my stomach hurt I laughed so hard! Our dining room staff treated us like family and made my son feel like a king on his birthday. We looked forward to going to ATD each night and requesting our HW's section. There was so much to do and it felt like those 6 days flew by. Please come back and finish so I can pretend I'm back on the Breeze! :D

Mom was a fine jewelry lover and bought several diamond pieces in St. Maarten over the years. Best place to buy bc of 100% duty free. Got her tennis bracelet, passed down to me and appraised high, from Gemsland in Phiilipsburg. Google also says Front St has nice jewelry stores.

Do your HW and know your price range before you go. At the very least, know all about the 4 Cs. Good luck!

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You have an amazing sense of humor that conveys well in your writing. I have a teen DS and DD and we all also have a fun and quirky sense of humor that can border on inappropriate to some. But it makes for some very funny vacation stories! If you pay attention, there are a lot of funny and different people everywhere.

The casino story had me dying!:D

Great stuff! I'm also a meticulous travel planner and I love researching before a land or cruise vacation. Sometimes a cruise feels like several vacations in one because of all the different ports, including pre-cruise and post-cruise days, to plan activities. On a side note, I've seen Usher in concert many moons ago and he was amazing but kind of sexually explicit. I know he's changed his image a lot because of The Voice but just be prepared for it to possibly be a tiny bit awkward with your teens. Miami is a racy town and I'm sure he will be pandering to the ladies. Lol

Have an awesome cruise!

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Yes! The Lido balcony is fantastic. We were in a perfect Lido cabin on the Breeze this past summer. So close to everything!!! Congrats on an awesome deal for such a great cabin. :)

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DD just won an online contest through her bf's aunt who is a consultant. She is a nail design fanatic who actually has a manicurist desk I bought for one of her birthdays and over a hundred nail polish bottles lining her walls. She posts pics online all the time of her creations. I have to ask her how she likes these nails. I'm mildly curious now.

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