jjcruiselover

Southern then Eastern and lastly Western.  I love the Southern ports the most for the experiences and atmosphere. The Eastern ports are getting back to pre-hurricane state so that is plus.  I will take the Western over not cruising at all.  In fact we are going the Western route next month, last minute booking so went for the better ship versus the itinerary. 

I would never check my husband's c-pap machine.  This would be a must have and the chance that it could get lost or damaged is not worth it for the minor inconvenience of carrying it around for a short bit before the rooms are ready and you could drop it off. 

I have booked the couples spa more than once and it only ever asked for one name.  I too was concerned the first time but when we boarded I asked about how my husband would be able to use the spa and they said just show up with his sign and sail card and it would be okay.  We went together the first day and I had him tell them he was there to use the spa, they asked his name and then they took his sign and sail card and  gave him the rubber bracelet and special key card to enter the spa area. No problem at all.  Both times we booked the couples spa I always entered  only my name online but my husband had no problems using the spa with or without me.

We always take our Yeti style cups and almost all the bartenders will fill the cup directly.  A couple will only use their glass but as suggested before, pour the soda in your cup and leave the empty glass on the bar. 

On the Horizon in November the bartenders gave us the full can in our cup probably 90% of the time.  We usually declined the more ice question and got the full can and then added ice from the free beverage section if more ice was needed.  This really helped cut down on trips to the bar for a refill. 

My 10 year old granddaughter has been on 13 cruises across three different cruise lines and her number one rule is go the first sea day to make friends. She likes to go the first morning and evening to make friends. She normally stays with the family in the afternoon to spend time in the pool or other kid friendly areas like the ropes course or water slides. She hurries us through dinner to go to camp so if your kids really like camp and don't mind kid type food you may want to let them eat with the camp kids. Our girl loves prime rib and steak so she always eats with us but can't wait to get back to her friends. She is an only child and makes friends easily but can be really shy also. She has made friends with kids from all over the US and also Australia and Germany (no English spoken) but still had a great time. I would encourage you to have your eight year old go to her assigned age group as she will have more fun doing age appropriate crafts and games.

The counselors are trained to know how to get the kids participating and making friends so no one is lonely or left out of the fun.

Just got off the Elation and Bingo was priced $20 for a 3 card/ 3 game bundle, $30 for 6 card/ 3 game bundle, and $40 for 9 card/ 3 game bundle. Daubers are $2, but you get one with the $40 package.

These were correct prices for Bingo on our Sunshine cruise last week

We have sailed the Sunshine twice and would go again. We just got off an eight day this past Sunday. We are Emerald on Royal and switched a few years ago to Carnival. The Sunshine has a lot of great food options. We cruised at Thanksgiving and spring break (think lots of kids ) and still enjoyed the Sunshine. The crew are awesome. I would love to go on the Oasis again but I would be perfectly happy to go on the Sunshine again too.

We were on the Magic for Thanksgiving and had a couples pass for the thermal suite. We really enjoyed the Thalassotherpy pool and the heated loungers. We had another couple with us along with our 10 year old granddaughter. We went every day at sometime but mostly at night on port days. The pool and loungers were a great way to relax after a busy day in port. It will really depend on how much time you want to spend away from your travel companions. We felt a little guilty since the other couple were left on their own but the relaxation of the spa outweighed our guilt.

We also went in the mornings on sea days to get away from the crowded pool area.

We are on the Sunshine in a couple of weeks and already purchased a couples pass even though it does not have the T-pool. My hubby asked me to get it and being a good wife I obliged.

I have seen kids in their pajamas at the Dr. Seuss breakfast so I think the Dr. Seuss pajamas are a cute idea and would be cute for the pictures. You can take your own pictures or purchase the ones the ship photographers take.

Thanks for the explanation Chengkp75. This makes sense as the newer ships do have the muster inside but the older ships I've been on still have it outside. I knew someone on this site would have the answer. It is still very uncomfortable standing in little lines out in the heat waiting for those that think they are too good to attend to show up.

Seuss breakfast is a lot of fun even for the adults. It is worth the nominal fee. They allow you to take your own pictures with the characters in addition to the ship photographer's pictures. The characters are great with the kids and the decor is awesome. The menu is whimsical and the food is very colorful. Our 31 year old son went with his adult beverage and had steak and eggs and smiled like a three year old in his pictures with Thing 1 and Thing 2.

The BBQ on deck 5 has two lines but most people get in line closest to the Ocean Plaza. If you go down a little farther there is another line which is usually shorter. Also they do not have any beverages so be sure to take a drink with you before you go outside to get your BBQ.

When we were on the Magic in November it was really cold in most of the inside public areas so if you tend to get cold be sure to take a sweater.

Be sure to get anything you want to eat or drink as they do shut the buffet and beverage stations down long before the last call.

We usually have a high debarkation number so we are some of the last off the ship. We vacate our room on time so our steward can start cleaning the room but we linger over our last breakfast. We enjoy watching the unloading and loading of supplies at the port. We also like to lounge out by the pool one last time before stepping back into the real world. Another advantage is the luggage area is pretty much cleared out so it is easy to find your luggage. We use a shuttle to get to the port so these are also not as crowded going back to the parking lot and they are running frequently as the new incoming passenger are starting to arrive.

It is really hard to leave but then I think of a whole waiting area of new passengers eager to start their wonderful cruise vacation and I leave when my number is called. Enjoy you cruise and savor every minute you can!

You have such a beautiful family! You maybe a future plumber in the family with the butt crack picture.

I love Park and Cruise and always use them when cruising from Port Canaveral.

On our cruise last November, our 10 year old granddaughter wanted to be able to participate in the scavenger hunt so she had to have sign in/out privileges which we reluctantly gave her. She knew she could only use it for the scavenger hunt and only with a group we had approved before hand. When we picked her up that day from the kids club she said she did not have a good time. When we asked why, she said the group did the scavenger hunt but had some time to spare so they went roaming the ship. She said she knew she was not supposed to do that so she headed back to the kids club but got lost. She sat down by an elevator and cried and a nice couple asked her what was wrong and walked her back to the club. She had got turned around and was at the wrong end of the ship. She said that was enough of being able to sign herself out of kids club. This was her 12th cruise and cruise ships are not foreign to her but being lost on one of the most scary things she said she ever experienced.

We had met the kids she was with along with their parents and all of them were only to check themselves out for the scavenger hunt and nothing more. The moral is, you may trust your kids but the influence of their new friends plays a big part in where and what they may or may not do.

You need to know your kids and give them the freedom you think they are ready for. Be sure to always tell them it is okay to say no to their new friends and do what they know is the right thing to do and they will not be sorry for what happens.

It is on the Sunshine and very worth the small extra fee. The adults love it as much as the kids.

Does anyone know why some Carnival ships have the muster drill inside and others still conduct theirs outside? I think people are more attentive to the instructions when they are comfortably sitting in a theater or dining room.

We had spa interior staterooms11004 and 11010 on the Sunshine in 2016. Both of the cabins were great during the day but 11010 backed up to one of the entertainment staff's cabin and they played tecno music that started around midnight and went until the wee hours of the morning one night. I didn't want to complain as I kept thinking it would stop at any moment. This was my fault for letting it go on as long as it did.

The good was that the cabins were super close to the spa and the Serenity area on deck 11. The hallways always smelled amazing and the upgraded soap, lotion and shampoo were nice. Robes are also a bit of an upgrade from the standard Carnival robe and they were in the cabin without having to ask the steward for the robes if you like to use the robes. Cloud 9 slippers were provided but in a one size fits most.

When you go shopping and look at clothes that will only pack well for your next cruise.

Also while looking for new appliances for the kitchen and had a hard time deciding if the ones with the all the bells and whistles are worth the extra cost because the savings could pay for your next cruise.

We were on the Magic in November and had a week long spa pass. We used the spa everyday. As others have said the spa closes at 10:00PM each night. The pool is not really hot but comfortable. The T-pool bubbles are very strong so I found myself having to hold on to the railing to stay in one place. This may not sound relaxing but it really was very relaxing. It was great to use the T-pool for a while and then relax on the heated loungers.

We had a spa room for the first time on the Sunshine and now my husband has to have a spa room or buy the week long pass. My guy is not anyone you would expect to be a spa guy but he is hooked and said he never has felt as relaxed as he does in the spa area of a cruise ship.

Go ahead and get a spa pass as I don't think you will be sorry!

We have never tipped the Camp staff as I feel this is part of the cruise experience for our granddaughter and included in the cost of her cruise. She is usually at camp for a few hours each day but with us more of the time. I feel the Camp for kids is like the shows or entertainment for adults. I don't tip the band or the show singers as they are not part of the tip compensated crew.

Before I get blasted we always tip extra the dining room team, stateroom attendant,favorite bartenders, shuttle drivers and baggage handlers so it isn't a matter of being cheap.

We have taken our 9 year old granddaughter on 13 cruises (mostly without her Mom) and I have never had a worry about the railings or her falling overboard. I worry more now that she is older and loves to spend more time in the pool than the kiddie area of the waterworks. The pools get very crowded and it is hard to see what is going on in the water all time.

Be sure to take him to the kids club the first day so he can make friends early in the cruise. If he likes it, like most do, he will want to spend a lot of time there and it will free up your time to do things you are interested in doing. We love the time we spend with our granddaughter but also like to enjoy doing things that are boring to her.

If he doesn't like to sit a long time for dinner, the kids club have a meal time with the other kids and you can enjoy a leisurely adult dinner. My girl loves the dining room and insists we go every night. She loves prime rib,pork chops and the desserts. Be sure to try the banana split on the kids menu as it is awesome and many adults order it without kids at the table.

We love having her with us and being able to spoil her at the same time. Go and enjoy and I am sure when you come home you will wonder what your were worried about in the first place.

Room service will take a very long time on port days around the time everyone is due back on the ship. Many are tired and only want to go to their room but are also hungry so room service is the answer. The other times are usually shorter than 30 minutes. Breakfast is the easiest and always on time especially if you order it the night before using the menu in the room.

Remember that if you want something order it as they usually only bring what you ordered and do not anticipate your needs such as condiments.

My recent experience on the last two cruises is the cabin steward will leave the beds down unless you ask to have them put up. They used to put them up every morning but now they leave them down. I guess this is part of the cut back with the once a day room service.

We did this same itinerary in November. If you have a chance visit Victor Bodden's monkey farm it is worth it. We booked an excursion directly with Victor that was very inexpensive and included the monkey farm. My DH made a face about the monkey farm but went along since we had our 10 yr old granddaughter. Well, the monkey farm was his favorite among everything we did. Our friends and him all had a blast holding the monkeys but the high point was holding a sloth. They couldn't stop talking about the sloth and they smile every time they look at the pictures. Who knew a couple of grown men would love holding a sloth.