Bonnie J.

WE have been on more than 100 cruises since 1984. We don't always tip more but usually tip our waiter and his assistant if they do anything more than they have to. We also tip a bar waiter when he recognizes us and what we want. they always ask if we want what we had ordered yesterday or any day, But, we give these these tips on the last day. Same with room stewards. WE extra to tip crew who have earned them.

Read some tip first day to get better service but what more do they get? 

You can ask your TA or the cruise line to just move your cruise date to a late date. WE have DONE THAT TWICE. 1ST TIME WE HAD ANOTHER DATE, 2ND TIME THEY JUST KEPT OUR DEPOSIT/FULL PAYMENT ON HOLD UNTIL WE HAD A NEW DATE. See if this will work for you. (sorry about caps, didn't know I hit caps!)

JUST THOUGHT IF YOU GO ALONE, YOU WILL PAY FOR YOURSELF BUT YOUR HUSBAND WILL BE CHARGED EVEN IF HE DOESN'T GO WITH YOU-CHECK THIS OUT WITH THE CRUISE LiNE!

The Dolphin was our 1st cruise about 1984 or 85. (WE have well over a 100 now!) It was a Christmas gift for my husband. I put the cruise documents on the bottom of a box. Then I wrapped his oldest, worst bathing suit in tissue paper. when he opened the box and found the bathing suit, he couldn't figure it out till I told him to empty the box. It was quite a delightful surprise you him and got us sold on cruising!

WE LOVED the Dolphin & its small size. Then Dolphin Cruises got the Seabreeze & Oceanbreeze.  When the Dolphin Cruise line died, The Dolphin went, the only ship of Cape Canaveral Cruise line. They did like 2 days cruises but the Dolphin was still fun when we found it and went on it before a longer cruise on different cruise. Like the old days it was shooting soote out of the smoke stack. It was dying so it was sent to India. This is where ships are run up onto the ground and taken part for scrape.

The SeaBreeze and Oceanbreeze were bought by Premier, know once as the big red boat. The Seabreeze, we were on her 5 time, was prepossessed in Canada in the middle of a cruise. This was in August, never found out about all the passengers who had to leave the ship the morning.  

 In early November she was back on her way to Miami, with a crew of 35, when she started taking on water off the VA ,NC coast. Watching it sink was a local news story for us. Was saw a crew member being pulled off the ship by the pool I had been swimming in the year before.

Don't know what became of the Oceanbreeze but she have become a daily gambling ship.

We are still cruising but miss smaller ships. Our favorite ship is now Carnivals Sunshine!

We started cruising in 1984, have been on ships of 5 lines that no longer exist and have a  lot more than 100 cruises!

We LOVE Carnival are Diamond (more than 300 days) and have almost 600 days on them. We have been recognized as having the most days a few times. In 1987 we had 8 Carnivals cruises. But 4 days after our February cruise, my husband had a serious stroke, paralyzing his left side.  He keeps wanting to book now but we can't until he can stand on his good better side so he can get from his electric wheelchair to bed and back. But we are waiting till then for newer ships. Cousin just got back from Magic and loved it, their 8th Carnival.

Princess is our next favorite. Enjoy their good ballroom dance bands and everything about the ship especially breakfasts and lunches buffets!

 Then Royal Caribbean because I love their flow rider which I can now start on my knees.

Costa is OK but muster is long in 5 languages,  breakfast or lunch you are asked which language for your menu!

Norwegian (NCL) is not a favorite because they do not have assigned seating. You just get online to be seated in the dining room. Once we had to wait 40 minutes for a table, twice we asked to share a table and were given a table for two.

Only been on Celebrity once but it was so formal. Just about all men wore a tux on formal night. 

We went to Halifax,  Nova Scotia, and St. John, New Brunswick, from New York over the 4th of July weekend.  It was so cold I  ended up buying a hoodie in the gift shop. I also wore very thin long pants too, a souvenir from Xhal Ha, Mexico. It can be colder farther north. But other days it was shorts. Maybe take a sweatshirt, jeans?

Watch out! you may end up planning your next cruise!!

Saw the show. Everyone could leave from any port, wherever they wanted. This would make it easier for most. Ports are from Boston all way down to Miami. 9 more ports on the east coast and many ports on the west coast too.

 We are very experienced cruisers! Started in 1985, have way over 100 cruises, 84 on Carnival, Princess our next favorite. We have been on ships of 5 lines that no longer exist.

Last year we took 8.  But when we started, both of us working it was 1, maybe 2 a year.

We even did a 2 day- 1 day before our 7 day.  This was on our 1st cruise ship, the now dead Dolphin which was sent to India where ships are run on the beach to be scrapped. We had to get back on it after many years and have eaten with 4 different captains on the Dolphin!

We have also done back to back where you stay on the ship for the next cruise or taken one cruise, gotten off this ship and on another ship same day. Oh, we now drive, haven't flown for a long time- and it is 14 hours for us to Miami or NY.

Audience members could take a Back to back (B2B) for a longer cruise and only pay for one or, a couple with 2 tickets each could do this as each ticket was for two! 

Have done this cruise. There are no trips off the ship while IN the canal. But, if you are dropping anchor in the lake before leaving back thru canal next day, there are tours there. Click on your ship, then the day in lake and tour should come up. Or try Panama canal lake tours. Forget name of the lake,

My husband and are a young 75 years old and do not like early dining at all! Early eating, was spring, because we wanted to cruise with my cousin and this is what they said they had to have. It is just too early for us. We usually eat around 6:30pm at home but on a cruise waiting till 8:15 is no problem. There is always things to do to keep us busy and we do not want to go to bed at 10PM! Still, good things happening, good music, dancing, shows, etc. after 8:15 dinner. (I have been known to go to the buffet when they open at 6pm and get cheese, crackers -by soup- to have with before dinner drinks. Or, usually, 1st night fried shrimp on the buffet!)

We have been on the Sunshine more than a dozen times. It has become our favorite ship. We had also been on the Destiny before Carnival spent $155 MILLION re-doing the Destiny and did they ever! They changed the name to the Sunshine so no one could compare it to the Desinty.

You said you have various ages on your cruise. The Sunshine is the only ship, Carnival or not, has an adult deck with no smoking- and they mean that- that Serenity deck is three levels. Deck 11 has chaises with umbrellas and a pool. Deck 12, were always are, has chairs in the sun and a deep area in the shade with small sofas completely out of the sun. DEck 14 is where  you can check out towels, get in the huge hot tub and take advantage of a full bar. There are also hammocks here and deep long like couches.  Everything on these serenity decks have thick, like 4", pads on the backs, seats, and foot rests too.

Deck 5 is where we want our cabin as they are the only cabins on this deck just past the very back and right above dining rooms ondeck 4 & 3. Other dining rooms are right off the atrim. Deck 5 is where the casino is, then the computer area with a dessert bar, the tables, a hall to the Red Bar in front of the Ocean lounge, with the band at night and HUGE dance. 

Opposite the Ocean Lounge is the Allmacy Bar, for martinis. Deck 5 is where the fun nights are!

Carnival is known for fantastic kids programs and I have heard of kids crying because they don't want to leave when mom comes to get them.

The Sunshine is moving from Port Canaveral to Charleston, SC in May. I will probably do 5 days to Nassau & Freeport but will do a 7 day at least once a month.

Dining is below on decks 4&3. Other dining is next to the atrium.

Don't hesitate to let me know if you want more info. (we have well over 100+ cruises since 1985, 84 on Carnival, lots of others too!)

Once we were docked across from a ship in San Juan that was only condos. Sorry, I don't remember it's name. The cost was above $100,000 too but a condo, not a cabin. You had a living room, dining room, bedroom(s) and a complete kitchen. There were fire doors in the kitchen. If you burned your toast, they would automatically close. But, you could also go the dining room any time you wanted. There is no set itinerary, owners decided where to cruise to, anywhere in the world. Some condo owners would rent their condo to others for a week or longer but have no idea of the cost.

Anyone tell us the name or more info on it?

We live on the NC coast, a 4 1/2 hour drive to Charleston. That is why we cruised many times on the Fantasy, Carninavl's oldest ship. When it was moved to, I think Mobile, the Ecstasy, the 2nd oldest ship, replaced it. Charleston was/is their home port.

However, the Sunshine, our favorite Carnival ship, is moving to Charleston, as it's home port, in May 2019. It used to be the Destiney but $155 MILLION was spent on it and it became the Sunshine. It holds about 3,000 passengers.

The Serenity deck is 3 decks! Pool on deck 11, sitting with lots of shade & sun on deck 12, a full bar and towel station to get towels, plus hammocks, bed size shades and those round wicker things to recline in on deck 14.

The only drawback is there are only 2 elevators which go from deck 0 to deck 14 so there is a long wait sometimes. ( same elevators for cabins on the front of deck 11 & 12 so don't get cabin here unless you like waiting for an elevator!)

It will probably do 5 days cruises to Nassau & Freeport but 1, maybe 7 days to the Caribbean as the Fantasy & Ecstasy did/do.

We don't care where it goes, we will drive again to Charleston, instead of Port Canaveral, to get on our favorite ship. Been on her more than dozen times, Carnival, 84 times over, 100+ since 1985.

Be glad to try to answer any questions. Oh, the town approved building a new port here but it will take forever to get every part approved to start actually building it!

I used to have a waterproof good camera but it finally died. Now I take a throw-a-way underwater camera. I can take a picture of my husband in the water, the beach from the water and fish when we snorkel. I can have prints made or pictures put on a disc.

Dry dock is usually 1 or 2 weeks. Most ships go to Freeport and if you look way to the left from your cruise ship that you're on, you can see dry dock and wet dock. Dry dock is when they are out of the water and is the shorter time. Wet dock is when they stay in the water.

My husband's Cardiologist said he should not travel at all. We had a cruise booked in 3 days. The Dr. hand wrote a letter stating this. His secretary wouldn't have it typed right away but we got it in a few days. I called the cruise line (Carnival) and faxed the Dr.'s letter. They allowed us to cancel this cruise but we got no $$ back. We used the fare on another Carnival cruise which we did a few months later. Maybe you can do this!

We have been on over 100 cruises since we started cruising in 1984. We have NEVER taken our passports off the ship! This is for every part of the Carribean. We have also heard cruise directors telling everyone, the 1st night, to leave passports ON the ship.

You can always take a photocopy of your passports but never take the real ones!

People in the ports get BIG $$$ for stolen US passports. All they have to do is change the photo and they become US citizens.

We have never been anywhere but the Caribbean & Canada so don't know about other places in Europe, etc. Our Passports are put in our safe until we leave the ship at the end of the cruise.

Your picture is taken and comes up on their computer each time you buy something or come back on the ship. That way they know it is your card, not someone else's, not a stolen one.

A tablemate picked up her boyfriend's card as she was getting off the ship. There were all sorts of problems for her when getting back on the ship. His picture came up, not hers. He was sleeping when she left. It took a while for security to come to escort her back to her cabin to get her card. They both then made sure they each had their own cards!

Good reasons for you to have your picture come up with your sign'n sail card after this!

Orlando is in the middle of Florida. You fly into Orlando then have about 60 miles to the port of Cape Canaveral. You can ask here about the best way to get to the ship from the Orlando, (We drive from NC.)

You will pay for all alcohol and sodas but each person can usually take a 12 pack of soda on board. But, do not check them- carry them on then you know you'll get them!

I think a brand new ship, maybe two, built cabins for singles. I am not single so I can't tell what ship. Google 'cruise ships with cabins for only singles' and see what comes up.

No! been there done that, It is no more rocking at any other port is rocking in rough seas. We have been on more than 100 cruises since 1985 and have been in rough seas but have a LOT more calm seas.

The Sunshine is our favorite ship! Been on her more than a dozen times. Last time February but then my husband had a serious stroke so we can't cruise for a while - his left side was paralyzed. Last year, 2017, we did 8 Carnival cruises.

If you are afraid of seasickness pick a cabin on lowest deck in the middle of the ship. Think of a metronome. The top goes back and forth like crazy. The bottom hardly moves.

Our cabbie stopped there on our way just seeing Nassau. There were no hotels close at all. The hotel next to the port charge you to use their beach. Google free beaches with food in Nassau and see what comes up then google just those beaches. (we saw a big lake on our tour where a DR. ties his plane up to his dock and explored some caves we never knew was there!) We have been to Nassau so many times with 30+ years of cruising we now just stay on the ship.

Just go to the Roll Call here on CC. You click the cruise line, then ship, then date you are going. All the passengers on your cruise talk to each other via email and plan tours together. Once 12 of us, from our roll call, chartered a sunset snorkeling tour in Aruba from our Roll Call. One person set it up, put it on the roll call, and we signed up then. It was just the 12 of us too!

We are serious cruisers, been on 100++ since 1st cruise in 1984. Last year we did 8 Carnival cruises. You will have two towels (if 2 of you) in your cabin waiting for you. If you don't want to lug them around, you can get them on the pool deck and the serenity deck. You need your sign'n sail card to 'check them out. You sign them back in when you leave the deck.

You can always get coffee & tea- hot & iced in the buffet. In the AM there is orange juice. Lunch & later, all day and evening, there is ice tea, and lemonade and another drink I can't remember. I fill a small thermos every day with ice & water. I take it with me on board and off the ship. Then we always have water no matter where we go.

My uncle and his wife & 3 boys lived in Venezuela. He taught them to NEVER have all money in the same pocket or place, put it in different pockets, in your wallet and other places such as a purse and pocket. And NEVER have your wallet in a back pocket. Too easy for pickpockets. My husband was brought up in New York City and his wallet is always in his front pocket!

We really love Carnival's OceanBreeze! She will have a new home port, Charleston, SC, next May. Can't wait as that is only a 4 hour drive for us!

You will be wearing flippers to snorkel so if you have water shoes you leave them in the boat. You only need them to walk on hot sand or just to get to the snorkeling boat.

And in the Caribbean, you can see a few HUNDRED feet under water!

Message before this is good. You put your luggage out to be picked up the last night. So, you have to have someplace to carry off, with you, when you leave the ship, what you slept in, and bathroom stuff, medicines. --Everything not put in your luggage.

When you get on AND off the ship, don't check or put in suitcases important papers, boarding passes, passports (BC"S), medicines. They should all go in a backpack or something you carry on the ship when you arrive, and carry off the ship when you leave.

Watch out, you will give serious thought to booking your next cruise before you get off!

Make sure you check out the Serenity Deck. This is where there is no smoking and no children- and they mean that. But it tends to fill up fast so don't wait until mid-morning to find a chaise or chair or hammock or place to sit. Everything there has thick cushions on them. This is where you can get towels so you don't have to lug them from your cabin and many have a bar- but waiters will take drink orders too. Some also have hot tubs or a pool.

Also, check on your Roll Call to meet others who will be on your cruise and we have gone on tours with people we have met on our Roll calls.