Nevada Jen

I use insure my trip.  The pop up chat person was really helpful with answering questions about what was covered. You can wait until you make final payment to insure the trip but I wouldn't wait because of the preexisting condition exclusion.  If you are good and healthy, purchase when you book. But realize it will not be refundable.  At least take the time to use the pop up chat person to make sure you did it right (my dad was from a different state, so I had to do his separate from ours, for instance.)

So connecting balconies with you in one and adult daughter, her hubby and stepson in another versus you in an extended balcony for 30 bucks and them in their original balcony?  Check location of extended balcony (whats above and below you, can people see onto your extended balcony from above).  If it otherwise looks good, I would ask your daughter if she cares if you move.  She might be thinking you will watch the 7 year old at night with the connecting balcony.  If she doesn't care and extended balcony is a good location, I would take that!

Go to cruisedeckplans dot com. There are photos of the room and closet on the public site.  If you are a member or join (its cheap) there is another set of photos only members can see.  There is a walk in closet at the very least.  There are also plenty of drawers outside the closet.  It certainly will fit two full size suitcases of clothes.  If she needs more than that, she might have a clothes problem 😉

I'm not looking to get into a tipping debate.  I am going to tip unless the service is horrible.  So it sounds like for those who chose to tip, it is generally based on the number of people in the party not on the cost of the tour.  I guess that makes sense.  I tip hotel housekeeping based on number of nights stayed, not the cost of the room.

How much do you generally tip for excursions and how do you tip?  I was thinking $20 a person for a day long excursion.  Is that about right or do I tip based on the price of the excursion?  I am never sure I have it right.

I don't intend to demand.  I will do my best not to desperately beg.  He will be 5 months short of 15.  He has been on two cruises in Circle C, so he know what he is talking about that he says they are much younger than him.  15 seems a weird cut off.  That almost always means they are putting high school freshman together with 6th graders.  That's a real big experience gap.  But I don't need to convince you guys!  I need to convince carnival.

Yep.  Totally works.  Buy enough for gratuities and cheers and any excursions you might want.  You can use them to pay anything pre-cruise very easily.  There are enough codes in the allstate thread to easily get $5000 worth.  Its a little bit more of a PITA to use them once you get on the cruise but no reason not to use them for prepaid stuff.  Just have them delivered to an address someone will be at to sign for them and whatever that address is, you will need it for fun shops purchases (cheers, bottomless bubbles etc. . .)

I am aware it will be hard to move him up but I at least have to try.  He is 6 feet tall and in his second year of high school.  Hopefully they retain some amount of discretion to make decisions on a case by case basis.  I doubt the 6th grade girl parents want him in Circle C either!  So you just go ask when you get on board, before the first night get together?  Do you go to the club check in you belong in by age or the one you are hoping to move up to?

(Not that I am counting down or anything ;))

I got Cheers for my upcoming cruise on Panorama.  We have a lot of sea days and I think I will cover it with non alcoholic beverages (in addition to my alcoholic ones).  Last cruise, I did not quite understand how to get the bottled water and sports drinks that are covered under Cheers. I am going to need to bottled water to make iced tea to stave off the caffeine headaches because I don't drink pepsi product or drink coffee.  Where do you get the bottled water covered by Cheers from?  

Next Question:  I have a 14 year old I would like to get moved up to the older kids club group.  How do I go about trying to make that happen?

Many cruisers do not like this island because it is industrial and not touristy.  It is one of my favorites though (especially compared to Nassau).  The people are so incredibly nice and genuine.  Not the slightest bit pushy or trying to get you to buy things.  And the island's history is really interesting, even to kids. Feels a bit like you are exploring a midwest small town. We did a mangrove kayak and beach excursion through Carnival when we went.  Bus/van to start spot, kayak through the mangroves, and the beach we went to was the one where pirates of the carribbean was filmed, there were raccoons that came up and politely requested food while we were eating the provided lunch.  On the ride back our guide gave us a bunch of history of the island that really drew me in.  I would love to live there someday but it is not super vacationy.

Phew thanks!

The website is giving me problems with gift cards today.  Might be a website problem.

Cruising Panorama this Christmas.  I have an email saying I got a reservation at Bonsai with the date and time but it does not show anywhere on the carnival site. Is it supposed to show up somewhere? I just wan't to make sure I am not going to have a problem on board.

26 minutes ago, dan4182 said:

Renew your passports now. If your renewal paperwork and pics and payment is in proper order the turn around time is 12-16 days.

I would wait to renew.  If memory serves me, you have to turn in your old passport.  I wouldn't trust that you will get it back before the cruise.

I ordered $4000 with no problem.  I just ordered another $1000 that I really need before my December 20 cruise.  Send speedy vibes to UPS!

The arrival appointment time means nothing if you have FTTF.  Ignore it.  Arrive as early as you can if you have FTTF.  Especially with a toddler. It will allow you to avoid the mobs of people at the buffet and be sitting in a seat you chose to eat without your luggage.  From my memory of toddlers, this will make for a much better vacation.

Self assist early debark is the best way to get off and to your car in 30 minutes at Canaveral.  We used it on Liberty there and other than the 5 minute wait in the dining room before we left to walk through the ship on our way out there was not a time we stopped moving until we got to the customs agent which took all of 10 seconds from there.  Any other way and you are going to slow down the process.  We did late debark with FttF with full service luggage in Tampa and it was insane.  The line on the ship was way built up and customs was way built up and people were going on their morning breaks by then.  Huge mistake.  Probably took 2 hours to get off the ship.

The issue for me is the caffeine fix.  I can probably get it by bringing instant ice tea.  I have managed to stop soda for a diet using instant ice tea.  But that was not really a vacation!  But yes.  Sugared soda is a two sip max for me without literally throwing up later in the evening so that cuts out all those and whatever pepsi does to make their drinks diet also makes me sick.  Honestly, I suspect I am allergic to something in diet pepsi products.  And I get that I am outside the norm and have to make concessions for my addiction, so its not that big of  deal for me.  Coke products is what got me on Carnival in the first place instead of NCL.  Its that bad!

I am sailing this Christmas on the Panorama.  I am a bit worried that they will simply start with only stocking pepsi since it will be in service for less than a month before the company-wide switch.

the Liberty does have metal walls so magnetic hooks are really helpful.  Also, that trip is pretty windy.  If you are envisioning time spent on deck in loungers as part of your vacation, bring towel clips to hold your towel to the chair.  The pizza place has cans of soda early in the morning.

56 minutes ago, JennyB1977 said:

For those of that are staunchly Coke or Pepsi, how much soda do you drink? 1 - 12oz can a day? A 6 pack? I'm not judging. I just don't get the "firmly in one camp" mentality and I'd like to understand. I drink soda maybe once a week, could be less. I also can't imagine going on vacation and feeling I need a certain drink soo badly I'd have to bring it with me.

Um. . .staunchly coke products.  Diet Coke and Diet Dr. Pepper to be exact (its a Coke product here).  I am an addict to shocking levels.  I do not drink anything else (except occasional alcohol drinks).  Hmmm. . . at least 12 cans a day, probably closer to 20 can a day.  Diet Pepsi makes me sick to my stomach after 2 sips.  I hate coffee and I will drink plain strong ice tea but you can't get that on the ships.  So yes, I really will stop cruising Carnival.  Even if I could carry on a 12 pack of Diet Coke, it would last me a day at most and then my trip would be ruined from caffiene withdrawal.  Yes.  Many will think it is stupid to a) drink that much soda and b) switch cruise lines because of soda.  But its that big of a deal to me.  Its a vacation.  I want to relax and enjoy myself.  That is not going to happen for me if I have soda stress.

Praying that they have Coke on the Panorama until 2020.

I'm so glad you did the review!  I really enjoyed reading it!  The sickness sounds awful!

Not sure it is still valid but I didn't see this one on here.  go2sugarbowl2020

Not sure about the noise but a couple of things.  I would deal with the noise for that view of the canal. It was super crowded on deck and really hot.  Being able to watch from my own balcony would have been very cool. BUT I am assuming you will get a lot more sea days than normal on a canal crossing (I know we did), so that might mean a lot of sea day "brunches" being set up early in the morning.  Still, my gut says above the dining room will be fine.

I doubt that was a bad choice!  I have a Havana aft extend balcony on deck 7 on the second sailing.  I will be sure to come back and let you know what you missed!

You could also try a balcony in Havana for you guys and an interior in Havana for the kids. I would call a PVP and tell them what you are looking for in order of preference. If there is one area likely to cancel on final payment date, it is Havana.  Lots of times people grab them up right when the booking opens and then realize at time goes by that the cost is not worth it to them.  We did 3 in an OS (2 adults and one teen) and it was still pretty tight compared to 2 in a balcony. With two teens, I think my next preference after Havana would be regular balcony for me and an interior for the teens.