scrapperluv

Absolute, best purchase EVER for our Caribbean cruises...a decent water camera!! It's safe in the sand on the beach, snorkeling or anywhere near water. We paid about $200 and got one that took great pics under water and on dry land. It's the only camera we use for cruises and beach trips now.

Other great buys we discovered:

If you have children with you, walkie talkies. They can go to arcade, etc. and be able to contact you on the ship.

ALWAYS have little packets with cheap ponchos in them. Tropical storms ruin port visits without.

Filtered Britta personal water bottles (the type that have a little filter just inside the lid)

Luggage that can be stored inside each other (like those wooden Russian dolls. Smallest goes in next largest, then those go into next largest, etc). Then shove these under the bed.

Extension cord

I know this thread is old, but I have the same question. My teenager LOVES Guy's Burgers while my 6 year old must have Waterworks. I was struggling to find ships with both on board!

Yes, that must be my problem. So we can't browse online for prices if we have 4 people?

Hi all,

I've been trying to browse the RCI website for prices on different staterooms and I keep getting a message that says "Not available for booking online." Then gives a phone number to call. So are there some maybe available but we have to call? A bit irritating since I'm just trying to find a price and it won't show it.

Some of them say "Not available for booking sold out." That makes sense...it's sold out. I just don't see why we'd have to call them if there are still staterooms available as I'm not even sure I want to book. Can I use a TA site to get prices?

We have 2 kids. An 11 year old and a 6 year old. We've tried bunking up with them several times in hotels and once on a cruise. No one slept well and we were all grouchy.

How do you know what days the cruises will be released? I'm not savvy about Disney, at all.

Also, we always have to book connecting cabins since our youngest is 6 and we need to have her close by. Carnival doesn't have 1 bedroom cabins, so the best we can do it connecting rooms. We've never been able to nab a last minute deal because we need connecting rooms and they're sold out by then. Nobody sleeps well with all of us in the same room, so we've given up on that option for now.

Does Disney have one bedroom cabins? Or maybe they're gt rates could include cabins that are connecting? Carnival is very limited on how many cabins connect...does Disney have more since they serve families with children?

Thanks SO much!

I've been watching Disney Cruises for a couple years and never see great discounts. Honestly, we can't afford the going rates so we always end up with Carnival (and love it), but I'd LOVE to take my kids on a Disney cruise while they're still kids! Any suggestions? Thanks!

Yes, we are. I really don't have any suggestions. We've done stingray city twice, so we're not interested in doing that again. I think we are going to play the day be ear. We like Royal Palms the last time we were there, but it will be closed for the day. The time before that when we were in Cayman, we went to a bar/restaurant called Hemingways and hung out for the day. We were able to rent snorkeling equipment there for a reasonable price and swim out from the restaurant to snorkel. It was great, but I don't think Hemingways is there anymore, and I don't know if the new place will be open or if they rent snorkeling equipment. It just doesn't sound like much will be open, so I'd say take the tender ashore and head to the beach for a few hours. Bring a frisbee or a football for the kids to play with at the beach.

Thanks for the reply! We're going to bring some small sand toys and hang out on the beach. I don't really feel like hustling and bustling to get off the ship on Christmas morning, anyway! Maybe we'll see you!

We went to Royal Palms the last time we were in Cayman on a cruise. It was a great spot. They also have a nice pool. I'm pretty sure we will be going there again on Christmas day. I'm considering the cabana, but have not decided yet.

Hi! I think we're on the same cruise? The Dream leaving NOLA on December 21st. I have no idea what to do in Georgetown with a 5 and 11 year old. We did the stingrays last year when we docked at Grand Cayman. Any suggestions?

Hi all! I see lots of info for private drivers and other transportation for Ocho Rios, but can't find any recommendations for Montego Bay. Our ship (Carnival Dream) will be there Christmas Eve. We'd like to play on the beach at Doctor's Cave then go to The Pork Pit then back to the port.

We'll have little ones with us so what is the easiest way to get from place to place? Can you recommend companies (or should we look for a cab?) and give me an idea of the cost? Thanks!!

there is a hop on hop off shuttle in mobay that you can pay for and jump on and off.

Where do we find the shuttle? Is it easier to get a cab from The Pork Pit than to locate the shuttle and wait? We'll have little ones with us so I don't mind paying a few extra dollars to make it easier.

Are they under the age of 16???

 

 

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Yes, the kids are 5 & 10 years old.

I'm a little nervous to take them without passports since my husband isn't a US citizen and doesn't have a US passport...

At this point it will cost almost $400 to have rush passports made. What do you think? I'll call Carnival, too.

We need more information to answer this for you such as where the cruise is going and if you are returning to New Orleans.

 

Keith

Thanks, here are the details...

My kids were born in Southern California

The birth certificates are government issued originals (in CA we apply to the county)

It's a closed loop cruise

Our cruise line is Carnival

Itinierary: New Orleans, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Cozumel, New Orleans

The only thing that could be an issue is their father isn't a US Citizen. He's English and is traveling with a UK passport and a US green card. I am a US citizen and my children were born in California. THey're US citizens but not UK citizens.

Thanks, here are the details...

My kids were born in Southern California

The birth certificates are government issued originals (in CA we apply to the county)

It's a closed loop cruise

Itinierary: New Orleans, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Cozumel, New Orleans

The only thing that could be an issue is their father isn't a US Citizen. He's English and is traveling with a UK passport and a US green card. I am a US citizen and my children were born in California. THey're US citizens but not UK citizens.

Thanks! That's great to know! It's going to save us a ton of money in rush fees!

Hi all,

My children's passports expired and we're leaving for a cruise from New Orleans on December 22nd. I read that, for cruises, if children are boarding and disembarking from the same port in the US they don't need passports. Apparently we can provide original birth certificates and they'll be fine. Is this true?

We're traveling to Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Cozumel. Thanks!!

Constance and Second street should be pretty nice.

I would stay away from Claiborne and Audubon.

 

Esplanade is a good area.

 

Magazine street ranges from really nice to really nasty. It would really depend on the cross street.

 

Your selection in the Irish Channel seems to be the best of the ones posted, if you are looking for the "outside the Quarter" experience. It would be a bus ride at a minimum to get to the Quarter.

Can you give me a general idea of which parts of magazine Street to avoid?

Also, I had read that there were some shady areas along Esplanade. Is that not true?

Thanks!

Hi all! I'm using VRBO to rent a small house for my family for a few days before the cruise. I've never been to NOLA and I don't know which areas to avoid. Here are the areas and streets some of the rentals are located on. Can you tell me if these are safe areas for a family with kids? Thanks!

Irish Channel: Constance Street and 2nd Street

Esplanade Avenue in French Quarter

St. Claiborne & Audobon (Garden District?)

Are there any areas to avoid around Magazine Street? I think that's the Garden District area and I'm considering a couple there.

Hi all!

We're going to be staying in New Orleans for a weekend before we catch our cruise at the port. We'll only be there 2 nights (Dec 19-21, 2014). Since we'll have our 5 and 10 year olds with us we want to stay in a section that's vibrant but not super crazy. I've never been to NOLA so I don't know if the French Quarter is full of drunks and half naked people this time of year. Would you stay in this section with kids?

I like the idea of having the trolley nearby. Does the trolley go into the Garden District or any other sections? I'd love to hear your input!

Hi all,

I've never been to NO and we're driving in for a cruise on December 20th. I've looked at some very reasonable hotels with stay & park deals near the airport. Some reviews state the airport was very noisy. I don't care about the noise during the day, but don't really want to be up all night or early morning with planes taking off.

How far out should we stay? Any hotels you'd recommend or advise to stay away from? Thanks!

I wonder if the low cost of the hotel and the free parking make it worth taking a cab to the port and back. Any idea how much a cab would be to this location?

Also, do you know if they have suites with a separate bedroom? I'd be willing to pay a little more so I can put my daughter down for a nap in a separate room with a door.

I'm searching for the same! I'll be checking back to see if there are any suggestions.

We were there last April (2014), and I think it was the week before Jazz fest. It was just awful. Like no shower curtain, no toilet paper roll, tub was dirty, floor needed vacuumed, just not clean. Restaurant service was substandard too. They were really full though and maybe it was a bad day for them. The previous time we were very pleased with it. Hopefully they have made some changes in management. I may look at them again.

Ok, so I think we can mark the Quality Inn off of our list! Yes, we CAN have the kids stay in the room with us but we'd really like to have them in their own room. My 5 year old still naps so it's hard for the rest of us to tip-toe around her sleeping. I'd love to find a hotel suite with a separate bedroom with a door. I know Homestyle Suites does that but I don't think they have free parking. We might just end up getting 2 rooms with a connecting door.

Hi all. Thanks for the advice. The problem I'm having is it's so difficult and time consuming to go level by level and individually check for connecting rooms in the forward then the middle then the aft. I'd like a search engine designed to allow us to choose connecting cabins as part of the search criteria. Norwegian (or is it royal Caribbean? ) has it and you can put in your stateroom preference and it pulls up only the ones that are AVAILABLE and connect. You don't have to spend 15 minutes looking for connecting cabins. It's so time consuming when you're considering different ships. For those of us with young children it can mean we don't chose that ship at all if we can't have connecting room because they're sold outThem we have to go through it all over again to see if the next chooce of ship has the connecting rooms we need.

Hi everyone,

We'll be in New Orleans December 20th (Saturday) to board the Carnival Dream on Sunday. I need a fairly inexpensive place that has either connecting rooms or a suite with a separate bedroom. We'll have our 2 little ones with us and need a separate room for them.

I was looking and B & B rooms but some won't allow children under 7. I have a 5 year old and a 10 year old. I wouldn't mind them being in a room next to us in a B & B (even without a connecting door in between). In a hotel we'd need that door between us.

I'd love to hear your suggestions! Oh, and it would be a bonus if they allow us to park there for free during the duration of the cruise!