pcvtmom

Thanks so much for your response!

It was really bad on our Miracle cruise to Hawaii last year. Fairly impossible to get seating on the Lido during lunch/afternoon hours. So many people just "camped out", playing cards all day. 🙄

We've not stayed there precruise, but we absolutely love the Margaritaville Hollywood Resort. My husband and I stayed there once, and we enjoyed it so much that I recently took a mom and daughter trip there, with my adult daughter. It's an amazing location with stellar service!

With the social media plan, you can definitely use Facebook Messenger to text. It's the only reason I get an internet plan, at all. I have to be able to message my kids back home, and we can both text through messenger AND facetime.

Great start to your review! I LOVE Spirit class ships, in general.

We've done the Horizon twice. It's a great itinerary and an awesome ship.

I don't think that will work. It seems more like king size.

I'm sorry the weather isn't cooperating for this cruise. There have been so many rough seas on both sides of the US lately! The forecast looks like there will be better days ahead for you, though! Fingers crossed!🤞

EEK! That would drive me nuts!

https://www.carnival.com/drink-packages

Always happy to see another St. Greg live, to keep me entertained and informed!! As Jamman and others have already commented, Spirit class is also my favorite! The guest to space ratio just seems to work better than the other classes. Our next cruise (Journeys 😁) is on the Pride. We've enjoyed the Legend and Miracle, as well. In fact, Spirit is the only one in that class we haven't sailed! I agree with your assessment of the Watling's pina coladas. We make a point to walk up the big hill every time we're in Nassau, and we've enjoyed Junkanoo, as well. I hope you have a spectacular time. Let's get this ball rolling!!

My nephew has severe food allergies (peanuts), and Carnival was FANTASTIC! They had him choose this meals the night before (in the main dining room), so that they could make certain there was no cross contamination. They also have a manager in the Lido restaurant taking information about allergies, to insure safety in that venue. We've cruised Carnival with our two year old grandchildren, as well as our 7 and 8 year old grandchildren. They all love the Carnival product. There probably wouldn't be as much water slide/splash pad play on a cruise to Alaska, but the kids' clubs, the Dr. Seuss-themed activities, and Build a Bear would be fun for them. The Miracle is a Spirit-class ship, which is our personal favorite size. It isn't huge, but there's more space allotted per person than the other classes of Carnival ships. It has extremely bright (gaudy 😁) decor, but that's part of the attraction!

With the recent travel advisory for Jamaica, from the US State Department, my husband is leery about the plans I had for our cruise visit to Montego Bay in April. I planned to shuttle or taxi to Margaritaville (brief visit, we're Parrotheads 😉), and then go to Dr's Cave Beach for the day. I cannot find any recent posts on travel sites about the shuttle from port to the Hip Strip, and I wondered if that is still an option. If so, what's your experience? I believe he'd be more comfortable with a shuttle than a taxi. Older posts (pre-pandemic) on Tripadvisor and other sites mentioned that Carnival offers a shuttle, but that isn't in our shore excursion list, so I guess it's been discontinued. None of the Carnival shore excursions appeal to me. The only excursion to Dr's Cave Beach involves a dolphin encounter, which we aren't really interested in doing. I appreciate any feedback you can provide!

I pay off all of my cruises with AARP discounted e-gift cards. I've never booked with one, though. I do the down payment with a credit card, but when it's time to pay off the cruise, there's a tab for "gift cards". I also use them to pay off my s and s card on the ship, gratuities, etc.

Yes, that's what we do. I don't bother with cruise cash, I just have my gift cards loaded at guest services or a kiosk.

I enjoyed your review! Thanks for posting.

Wow! Hopefully it's minor damage. Those guests will be in for a shock when they get back to port and see no ship. I hope they can locate and get them all to Montego Bay asap.

SCORE!!

Dang! I've been so busy reading Jamman's and SG's reviews, that I didn't catch you until page 5! Looking forward to your trip and adventures. We LOVE the Boatyard, and we've toured with Spencer Ambrose before. Take me back to those memories, girl! 😉

I've followed your reviews many times, but with your "little guy" this one was special! We cruised with our teenagers years ago, and now we take our grandkids (along with their parents 😁). As you found out, it's an entirely different ballgame with littles!! I came on here to say "well done", and I'm glad Ian has caught the cruise bug, too! I will look forward to your future adventures.

Once it was approved by Carnival, Stockperks sent me the confirmation that it went through. I went to "Manage My Cruise" on the Carnival website to check, and it was there!

It's SO nice to put names to faces! I've covertly followed The Tribe for a long time! This looks like a fun group to travel with!

Happy to see this review! I love the detailed trip reports you give us, and I frequently use your blog for information, as well!

I've cruised from Charleston in December. Definitely wear long pants and long sleeves for sail away and debarkation. The Bahamas will be pleasant enough for shorts and t-shirts, though.

We 100 percent prefer flying into FLL, as opposed to MIA. Hotels are cheaper, flights from our preferred airports tend to be cheaper, and it makes up for the shuttle coast of getting from Ft. Lauderdale area to Miami. I sure wish Carnival would go back to using Ft. Lauderdale as a home port. I know some of their other brands leave from there.