Gma&Gpa

We are on the Oct 13th cruise on the Pride.  We are assuming (if there are no more storms that affect it) that we'll do Grand Turks and Princess Cay, as scheduled. Pretty obvious we won't be going to Freeport - unless they are still dropping off supplies.  But Princess Cay would not take us closer to Amber Cay or Key West.  I'll be curious to know - but no matter what, it'll be fine.

We will be on the Pride in October.  One of the stops was to be Freeport - and I know they had a lot of local shops in Port Lacaya.  However, with Dorian coming through, I'm guessing we won't be going there.  We have several brand new cruisers with us on this trip, and I know they were hoping to visit some of the local vendors to bring back a few souvenirs.  I don't recall much in "local" at Grand Turks and I've never been to Princess Cay.  If somebody has any thoughts on those two stops and whether there are local vendors close-by, please let me know.

Thank you

We will be on the Pride on Oct 13.  If we end up with only two ports, that is fine.  If we stop and deliver supplies for Freeport, that is fine.  The folks in the Bahamas depend on tourism and anything that can be done for them is all right with us. A cruise deviation is nothing compared to what these people have been, and are, going through

I know the email address uses two letters at the beginning, but not sure if it's PR or PD or something else.   Can someone clarify for me please?

Thank you

One of our cruise mates is a NEW cruiser and is asking about a "flatiron" for her hair.  She has hair that really wants to curl and be unruly, and uses a flatiron at home to straighten it.  Will she be permitted to use it on the Pride?

We usually book around a year / 15 months in advance.  And we book through Early Saver - we've had some really good price drops - totaling more than $200 per person.  This year, our Pride cruise dropped about $60 each - but then has gone up and up - now showing over $200 MORE per person than our lowered price.   But I also see that there are only a couple of balconies left, and that's with a little over 2 months to go.  Supply and demand.... to me, that seems to be the reason.

We know what we comfortably can afford to spend, and take it either in cash or carnival gift cards.  Then, there is no temptation to overspend.  It would be very easy to get carried away with either drinks, gambling or buying "things" to take home.  This is our 15th cruise, and this works best for us.  I understand many do not agree, but it's what we are comfortable doing.

We've used these same luggage tag holders for several cruises now.  They are great - and re-usable.  Before they, we did the same, printed, cut, taped, folded and attached with zip ties.  You can find the luggage tag holders on Amazon

74 days - Carnival Pride.... 13 of us going this time.  

Thank you for the reply. At least people coming off do not go through the main part of the terminal - so if we are there, we won't be in the way.  I'm hoping the hotel knows how early they can shuttle.  And hopefully the ship won't run late when it's coming into port.

We won't be packing our gear and carrying it off. DH has to use a scooter on board, and a wheelchair to get off the ship - so he can't help carry things.  Fortunately, it's only a little over a 3 hour drive home (Virginia) - so we're not in a huge hurry to get off.  Nobody is flying in, so no deadlines for getting somewhere.

We have sailed the Pride before, and we are very happy with her - not the smallest, not the largest.  Just comfortable in size.

The last time we sailed on the Pride, we didn't have "arrival" times but now we do.  We have 12 of us, (4 of us are Platinum).  Everyone did manage to get the 12:30 arrival time, but since that is the earliest time, can we arrive a little earlier?  We will be checking out of our hotel and taking a hotel shuttle to the port - but we'll have to be out by 11 at the latest.  If the shuttle takes us over at 11:30 or so, will we be able to get into the Terminal?

One year we had 12 of us traveling together.   We linked out cabins - and they gave us two 6-person tables, side by side.  That worked perfect for us.

Can someone explain to me what "cruise cash" is?  Is it part of your "sign and sail" funds that you put onto your account?

Thank you... could not imagine we could not - but didn't want to take a chance.

We were given a VISA gift card recently.  Can we take it and when setting up our account on the ship, can we use it there at the counter for our account?  I know we can use Carnival gift cards, but a generic visa gift card is my question.

thank you

I've tried the SEARCH methods - but I'm getting thousands of items, everything that has the word "card" in it. So, I'll just post this question instead.  My friend is going with us on her first cruise, and signed up recently and has just about 4 months to get everything together and paid for before we cruise in October.  She has a brand new official birth certificate - but is hesitant to spend another $110+ for a passport.  (her husband won't cruise and this may possibly be her only one).  Would the passport card be better than the birth certificate, but far less $$ than the passport?  I know the biggest issue would be if she had to fly home to the states - but we are going to the Bahamas.  And we certainly aren't anticipating any reason to fly.  I know, "anticipation" does not always turn out as we hope.

Thanks for your thoughts

They just gotten new birth certificates issued - to make sure they were compliant on that. Didn't want to take any chances on that.   Thank you for the replies, I do feel more assured now.

One of our travelers is an adult, but does not drive and has a picture ID issued by DMV.  He also has a certified copy of his birth certificate.  It's his first cruise, and I suspect he won't cruise often, - so I don't want him to spend the extra $130 or so on a passport, to use one time.    Will his picture ID be sufficient, even though not a driver's license?

thanks.  I figured it had to be a glitch - but wanted another opinion.  

We are booked for Oct 13 on the Pride out of Baltimore.  I checked prices a couple days ago - and there were lots of rooms still available.  I went in today, and cannot access that cruise at all from Baltimore.  The only cruise showing up is one to Bermuda.  I'm pretty sure it didn't sell all of those rooms in two days.  Has anybody else encountered this today?

I know this is long after the post on this, but I must respond to the person that said scooters should be outlawed on cruise ships.  The only way that my husband can get around on a ship, is with a scooter.  It's very difficult to rely always on a wheelchair, as that determines that I must be with him all the time.(He doesn't always have the strength to wheel himself about in a wheelchair)  We are on vacation, but we do not want to be joined at the hip, so to speak.  A scooter allows him to enjoy his vacation just as much as everyone else - to come and go as he pleases. So far, we have been able to get a modified room on the ships, since he lost the ability to walk around a ship - but it's difficult - as there are very limited modified rooms that will take a larger scooter.  For the most part, employees and passengers have been extremely helpful and considerate of him (and others in scooters and wheelchairs) - but occasionally we do run into somebody who just thinks we are there to RUIN their vacation.  Have a little heart, you never know when you might be in this same position.

If we use room service, it's pretty much only for coffee and pastry in the morning (an appetizer to head later to breakfast LOL).  On the cruises we've been on, I do see an awful lot of wasted food sitting outside the rooms - that folks order and then don't bother to eat it.  Maybe if they are paying for it, they will waste less.

So, Paradise beach we can go to by taxi with NO reservation, correct?

We will be visiting Cozumel in Sept on our cruise. Can we go to a beach, by taxi, without a reservation? I'm reading about Mr. Sanchos or Nachi Com - but it seems like you have to go with a pass that you purchase ahead of time. Any thoughts? Would just like to find a nice beach, that has chairs, either umbrellas or trees, and a beach where we can get in and just enjoy the water.

and if we book 3... and then one drops - are they only responsible for their port charges? We are not going with Early Saver, so can she get any refund if she cancels after final payment is made?