ArmchairQB

We arrived at CT3 on the Mardi Gras on Aug 13th.  We don't like to rush off the ship so I booked a 10:30 shuttle to MCO with Cruise Control.  They kicked us off the ship at 9:30AM and we had our 1 checked bag and were through Customs and outside 20 minutes later.  We waited right where they let you out of the terminal.  At around 10:15 we started receiving texts and calls from our driver about a pickup.  He said he was at #6 (where is that) and asked where we were (no #'s so no idea).  He figured out where we were and we were off right at 10:30.  Less than hour later we were at MCO.

I figured out that each parking stall at CT3 is numbered.  Walk out to the laneway that loops around the terminal and look back at the stalls - they are numbered.  #6 would be near the front by where the Rental car pickup is.  #22 is around to the back near where the Go Port busses park.

I would highly recommend this service as they were cost effective ($100 for 4), communicative, pleasant, on time and best of all they use small transport vans, so there are no lineups and no crowding.

This was our experience on Aug 4th, 2023.  We arrived at MCO around 4PM. Picked up our 1 checked bag and was in our rental 15 minutes later. (I am AVIS Preferred). Really nice Kia Carnival.  We stayed out near Disney in Flamingo Circle.  This is a new subdivision and everything is brand new.  We shopped at Target and then headed to Downtown Disney for dinner and more shopping.

We left early on the 5th at 8AM.  We had a 10:30AM checkin at CT3 on the Mardi Gras.  No traffic and 3 cash tolls later and we were at Port Canaveral shortly after 9AM.  We thought we were too early, so we drove around for 15 minutes or so.  We then headed to CT3 at around 9:30AM to drop off the family and the luggage (taking advice from others on Cruise Critic).  HUGE line of cars, very chaotic!  It took us about 30 minutes to get to the front and instead of driving through they directed us to 2 parking spots out front.  They packed a second car behind us and I had to keep saying that I wasn''t staying.  Turns out this was one of the Rental Car pick up spots.  I dropped the family off and left them to figure out where to go (never sailed out of PC before) gave the checked bag to the Porter and then waited for the car behind me to clear.  While waiting a mother and son were in a heated discussion with the AVIS pickup driver as he filled his van somehow skipping over them.  So I said I was going to AVIS to drop off the van and to hop in.  Off we went.

Finding the AVIS location was easy.  There is a 7-11 with gas right next door.  But they had no gas.  So I had to drive back towards the port to get gas.  When I dropped off at around 10:30AM, there were easily 35 people standing under the canopy all with large amounts of luggage. (do they not read Cruise Critic. lol). There were 10 people in line inside waiting to pick up cars. I waited for about 10 minutes and the owner/manager asked if I was the person who drove in and he took me aside and checked me in. (I guess they needed the van). He then said to go outside and get shuttle 8.  5 minutes later shuttle 6 came by, filled up, and the driver started asking which ships and I heard Mardi Gras.  I asked if he was going to the Mardi Gras and he said yes, but he only had 1 seat and no room for luggage.  I said great, I am alone with no luggage.  10 minutes later I was at CT3.

We were on the SeaCow on Aug 9th.  I echo everything Manatee Man has stated.  Arno was the Captain.  Our guides were Joyce, Martina and Lars.  They had also engaged a private a photographer (Brooke) who offered an optional photo package.

I have snorkelled in Anguilla, Key Largo and Cozumel and this was my best experience.  I would add that the equipment used was very good and they have prescription goggles.

This reef is in good shape and is very alive.  Bonarians are very proud of how well they manage it.

We were snorkelling over divers and had a pod of dolphins play with the boat on our way back.

We walked to the meeting point from the port.  It took about 25 minutes and was really easy.  Just follow the water (there is a path) past the Klein Bonaire water taxis until you reach a private gated property.  Then turn right to get to the main road (look left and you will see masts).  Turn left and follow the road to the far side of the marina and use the public entrance there.  They were docked just inside the entrance.

As others have said, you will be returned near the ship. 

P.S. Try the raisin bread!

We were on the Mardi Gras and stopped in Aruba on Aug 8th.  We took a cab from the port (more on that in a sec) to Manchebo for $15USD plus tip.  The Top Drive rep. popped in a few minutes later (I'm not sure if he just came over for us or if he was always there) and we were on our way 10 minutes later.

Getting a cab at the port was a challenge.  There is a taxi stand on the Main Street (cross the street from the Port, near the I Love Aruba sign) but it was 1:30PM and taxis were full of visitors going to hotels from the airport so they were not stopping.  Some helpful gentleman (not sure if he was employed by anyone) starting flagging cabs for those us waiting to head north.  We realized later that there may have been a taxi stand right as we stepped off the ship.

Top Drive gave us a map.  We toured the sights and tried some of the "back roads" but there were just too rough.  We returned the jeep around 6PM or so (we had it until 8PM as we arranged - could have been later) and we walked 10 minutes to the south edge of Eagle Beach and watched the sunset.  We also had a dip and ate some sand. (if you've been there you know what I mean).

Around 7:30 or so we walked back to Manchebo (after looking to see if we could get a cab at Eagle) and the front desk called us a cab.  We waited about 15 minutes.

BTW, do NOT gas up the jeep at the gas station near the port.  It is a zoo and is hard to get in and out of.

Ship - Carnival Mardi Gras

Deck - 11

Stateroom # - 410 (11410)

Starboard or Port Side - Port

Quiet Stateroom? (With comments on problems) – Yes, very quiet.

Was stateroom a connecting stateroom? - No

Balcony View - Give comments on view, noting if location of any obstructions was an issue. – No obstructions. Great view.

Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - Normal

Was wind a problem? - No.  Some difficulty opening/closing balcony door.  Wind tunnel effect.

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? - NA

Any specific problems with this cabin? - The bed is in the middle of the room.  We were a party of 4 and were stepping over each other quite a bit.

Any other comments? - New shower glass door is great.  Midship location - busy elevators.  But elevators and stairs are really close - no noise.

We found that we received notifications (imessage, Office 365 email) without internet.  But you can't read them in the apps and you couldn't send.  Weird.

Unless you have Anytime Dining you cannot make a reservation for Chibang or Cuchina until after 8PM.  We didn't eat at Cuchina but Chibang was always packed for dinner.  The app was not working and we had to stand in line for a person to add us to the waitlist on a tablet. We only ate at Chibang once as we didn't find it to be that unique and service was minimal (because it was packed).

2 hours ago, mz-s said:

On Apple devices, http://captive.apple.com is the URL I recommend and not just on Carnival ships but anywhere you're using a captive portal wifi network. I imagine it would probably work on any other device as well but I've only used it on Apple devices.

Thanks.  I will make note of this as I also often have trouble with my iPhone redirecting.

I have a MacBook Air.  Opening a browser (Chrome and Safari) and entering Google.com for example, did not work.  Carnivalhub.com also did not work.  Nor did CarnivalWiFi.com (as the back of the Stewards card stated)

Thanks.

Just an FYI, for those who need wifi access on a laptop and don't want to go insane trying to get online.  The (apparently) secret website to type into your browser is "login.com".  At least it is on the Mardi Gras.  Enjoy!

Thanks Manatee Man.  We are reserved with SeaCow on our cruise there in early August.  We are looking forward to the trip.

We are in port on the Aug 8th from 1PM until 11PM.  It seems that the UTV rentals all want you back by 5 or 6PM.  I figure by the time we get off the ship and get the rental papers sorted out, it will be 2PM at the earliest.  If we need 30 minutes to gas up and return the UTV, we are not left with much time to tour.  I was thinking of touring around the island with a long stop at Arashi Beach.  2.5-3.5 Hrs doesn't seem to cut it.

Is anyone aware of a rental that goes to 7 or 8PM? Or is it that they don't want UTV's on the road after dark?  Thanks.

Thank you S&S.  Good advice.

Thanks.  I was wondering how long we could stretch out being on the ship given we are in no hurray.  Thanks for that detail.  Hanging around the airport is seeming less and less appealing.  Thanks.

Thanks SteerageJoe.  I had thought we would depart PC around 10:30 and just hang around the airport.  Domestic flight, so there would be about 3 Hrs to explore.  I did look into day passes but they seem fairly pricey for a few hours.

When you say ask about a private van, did you have any suggestions? Thanks.

We are a family of 4 sailing on the Mardi Gras out of CT3 in August.  We are flying in a day early and are renting a car at MCO, which we will drop at Port Canaveral when we embark.  I gather that renting a car at Port Canaveral is inconvenient, so we just need transportation back to MCO.  Our flight is at 4PM and we don't plan to rush off the ship. (we will walk our luggage off). It looks like 4 ships are in port when we disembark.

I think our best options are Go Port, Cortran's or Cruise Control.  Any idea which of the 3 would be best for us?  Thanks.

Don't forget a waterproof camera.  Enjoy.

On 5/13/2019 at 2:17 PM, novalab said:

Its been ages since I have been on Cruise Critic.  Boy has the format changed!  I have a question about independent tours to Altun Ha.

I have some dear friends that are cruising the Caribbean for the first time.  They would like to see Mayan ruins so I recommended a

private tour to Altun Ha to them.  It has been several years since I have been to Belize.  We used a private tour company on our

last trip.  I'm out of the loop as it has been quite a few years ago.

Does anyone here have a recommendation as to a reputable tour company specializing in Altun Ha that I can foreward on to them?

A link or website address.  Hopefully that is still ok on CC?  

Many THANKS for any help or advice!!

Judy 

We booked with the following in early May, although the tour was with Ecotours.

https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com

The Belize City tour part is really just the drive out and in of the city.  The site tour was fairly good.  The transportation was very good.  One of those airport car rental buses.  Not crowded and the guide was interesting.  There is a quick stop to try some local exotic wine (e.g. cashew).

Most of the excursion is travel.  We spent about an hour at the site and climbed 2 structures. (from the side)

There is a cantina at the site, along with a number of local vendors.  We stopped at the cantina and had a snack and some beer before leaving.

We were there in early May on the Magic.  The Breeze was also there and beat us to the dock.  We left the ship around 10 or so and there were no free chairs anywhere.  We had a beach blanket and just found a spot on the narrow strip of sand (maybe 20 feet) between the water and the first set of chairs.

The water is nice but there is heavy seaweed on the sand if you venture out.

Don't put your stuff too too close to the water.  A large vessel went by and the wake washed up on shore and soaked a number of peoples stuff.

On 5/7/2019 at 3:23 PM, Lbrussel said:

Thank you so much for the info. I’ll just look for a different company. It sounded like a lot of fun, I just don’t want to be on a boat that’s too crowded. Also thanks for the info on El Cielo. 

Check out Mystic Snorkel.  We were in Cozumel in early May.  I booked them because I did not want to be in a large group.  They only book small groups.  Here is a overview of our morning with them.

- Booking was easy by email.  Deposit by PayPal.  USD Cash remainder when you arrive.

- Taxi from port was easy and inexpensive. $10USD  with tip.

- Cucci from the company called out to us as we were walking towards the boats.  He then guided us to the pier where they dock.

- He gave us the bad news.  The other group had missed the ferry and we were on our own. lol

- They fitted us with equipment and even had prescription glasses for my wife and daughter.  The equipment looked new.

- The boat is not very large.  As we left the marina we could see the other larger boats also hiding out to the reef.  But smaller boat means faster speed and after a minute or 2 we lost sight of the pack.  To get in the water you go over the side - you can go feet first. Getting back on board is by ladder over side.  A bit tricky to get your fins off and climb the ladder but the guide and driver will help you.

- We were offered life vests but for some reason didn't take them.  I am still not sure why.  We are strong swimmers but my girls had never snorkelled before.  Best decision ever.  The guide will throw a life ring in the water with you and honestly we all floated with little effort. (just stay horizontal most of the time)  I have always found the vests to be a pain.

- We went to El Cielo first.  Amazing.  Not much to see other than numerous starfish but worth the quick stop.

- Columbia reef - amazing - and the best snorkelling I have done anywhere (I've been to Playa del Carmen, Key Largo, Anguilla, Jamaica).  There is a current so you literally just hang horizontal and drift.  The guide (we had Sebastian) will point out eels, pick up a conch shell for you, etc.  We saw 2 green sea turtles, barracuda, sting rays (small ones) and teams of fish that will surround you as you swim.  The other groups were here - swimming in circles, if they weren't lined up to get off the boat.

- Palancar was next.  This is more for divers as it is deeper water with more elaborate coral.  The depth makes it hard to get a good snorkelling experience.  Sebastian asked if we wanted to try something else and we said yes.  So we went to 4th spot.  Lots of fish again.

- They then dropped us off at Albertos Restaurant for lunch.  (literally on the beach)  This is maybe the owners place, not sure?  The food was authentic Mexican (my MIL lives on the south Texas border) and a little cheaper than the cruise ship pier area.  However the taxi ride was about $25+tip wiping out the savings.  They will drop you on the beach anywhere on the way back - Paradise Island, Mr Sanchos, no problem.

- I tipped the guide and boat driver $20 each.

- We also had fresh fruit and soft drinks.  The fruit was really good, especially the mangos.

Something else I just thought of.

The first thing I checked when I arrived in the room was the state of the fridge.  The room (8400) one of those thermocouples as its cooling mechanism.  The fridge was not cold.  I decided to not ask for a new fridge (yes you can do this) but rather to just use our cooler.  But, we did put a few things in the fridge and they DID get cold.  Not just cool but cold.  So if you notice that the fridge is not cold, don't panic.  I would add that if you open and close the fridge very often, this type of fridge probably won't work very well.

14 hours ago, AHS123 said:

Thanks, I should have said I was asking the OP. 

Yes, the tips are automatically added to your account on the last evening.  They are based on a daily rate per person.  There are entire threads about the concept of tipping and extra tipping.  My personal opinion is that the staff is not well paid and I like to leave an extra tip to the wait staff and the cabin steward.  Now I suppose if I didn't ask anything extra of the cabin steward (we asked for ice once for our cooler and received it every day afterwards without asking) or if we had Anytime dining with different wait staff each night - I may not have tipped extra.  We were quite attached to our dining team and wanted to tip extra.

14 hours ago, jbethel11 said:

When did you book? My parents booked a cruise a couple of months ago, and I chose YTD for a cruise in August. Is that too late? They still had all options available/no waitlist.

I booked early in March for the Apr 28th sailing.

14 hours ago, jbethel11 said:

Great tips! I am going to post that in the "Favorite Cruise Hacks" thread. I will give you credit. 

Thanks.  There were a number of people doing this on the last night.

14 hours ago, jbethel11 said:

🙂

Yeah, I think I was watching your ships come in via a live cam and noticed that both the Magic and Horizon were in that day!

Yes, they were both there.  That was nice for us because we talked about the Horizon cruise while in line.  A good way to start.

14 hours ago, jbethel11 said:

Anyway, great review! 

Thanks.

47 minutes ago, coevan said:

you don't have a cell phone? how do you plan on using the App?

?? I do take my cell phone but to save roaming it is in Airplane mode when we enter the US.  BTW, Hub cn be installed on iPads as well.

1 minute ago, coevan said:

 

 

 

Not any different then on land, go to App Store, download Carnival Hub, name ship and open. Your home wifi will proably be faster but LITE will down load without issue

Yes, but for those of us without US plans in Airplane mode....