mapsmith

You could go visit my Mother-In-Law in Boca so I don't have to?

The scales are usually there, but remember, that scales on Carpet (like in the Gym) will be inaccurate.

We have always used our AAA card.

London Broil

Lamb Shanks

Frog Legs (Love them but hard to find)

Brie. (can't justify the cost for just me, wife is not a fan)

Guys Burgers (because Carnival doesn't have Five Guys or Steak and Shake)

Duck

Agreed. Cruise Critic should send him at least a T-shirt or Shopping bag.

He did good!

Thank you all for your responses. I did initiate legal action to become her guardian but because we cannot locate her father to serve him it has been a long drawn out process.

 

To clarify some things...I do have a signed letter from her father from before he disappeared giving me rights for school, healthcare etc. It just wasn't notarized which some people had said the cruise line was requiring. This letter has worked fine for all other travel, healthcare and school enrollment. She does also receive social security benefits which I receive on her behalf and she is on my insurance and taxes as a dependent.

 

We did go on the cruise. I presented her birth certificate and they hardly glanced at it. We had no issue boarding or coming and going from the ship in Mexico, Jamaica or Cayman Islands.

Good outcome.

A suggestion that may ease things. Make an appointment with your local Family Court Judge. (Probably the one the guardianship effort is in front of). Get a letter from Him/Her stating that guardianship actions are underway and that in the opinion of the Court, You are the potential legal guardian for the child and until the final decree is issued, you will have the rights to determine medical care, schools, and travel for the child. The Judge's letter will establish temporary guardianship for you, and possibly speed up the effort. You will probably need to specifically ask for such a letter while talking to the Judge. Point out that as a 13 year old, there are probably medical decisions that are in the offing as well as a driver's license in a couple of years, and that you want to be able to do what is best until the final decree is issued.

Be nice to the Judge and you might be surprised how accommodating they can be.

The best idea is to put enough clothing in your carryon to last you through the cruise in case your checked bag doesn't make it. Two extra shirts, extra shorts, clean underwear. I have a cruise wardrobe that is light enough that I could do the whole cruise with just a carryon. EM

This is always a good idea.

I have a T-shirt that I got at a trade show about 12 years ago. It is compressed into a package about the size of a deck of cards. A couple of pairs of underwear, a pair of shorts, and my meds and electronics are in my carryon (along with our passports). Wife has similar stuff in her carryon, but it is larger (of course) but we also have credit cards. In all of our travels over the past 22 years, we only have had one bag lost. (hers of course) and that one was never put on the plane because the handle got torn off and they had no tag to put it on the proper plane. (Business card was in the zippered pocket on the outside, but they never looked.) Fortunately, a baggage clerk in Vancouver convinced her cohort in Phoenix to walk over to America West Baggage and look for the bag. They found it and shipped it to us.

But pack your carryon for at least three days.

The only place that it would work would be at the bars. Find a convenient bar on board. Order a drink. Give the Bartender a $20 cash tip and you will probably find that you will get a stiffer drink every time you go to that specific bartender.

This is what the State Department recomends if you have to replace a lost or stolen passport while abroad.

 

 

 

I would expect that having what I put in bold would expedite the process. If you don't they have to do additional legwork to process your replacement.

You will also need some funding to pay for the replacement passport. They ain't free even at an embassy overseas.

Trying to find out if anyone has walked from the Seawall area to the port. Is it doable or just too far.

And it is right next to the WaterWorks, so Serenity is a dream.

We usually get a bottle of rum or vodka through BV. We like having our own prefered mixers for the room

If they would bring the price of cans of pop down like they did water, I would gladly stop carrying it on. I spend plenty on board and if I can save a few dollars here and there, I'll do it.

LilMISS, i am confused. You purchase a bottle of rum from Bon Voyage for roughly 2.3 times the price on land but think you save money by bringing on your own mixers?

I have seen them at Lowes, and Albertson's. May have even seen them at one Walgreens. You can also purchase them Online at NewEgg, and if you use an AMEX Card and use the AMEX checkout, they will give you a $10 Statement Credit.

Someone recently was worried about a 2 or 3 year old and a balcony cabin. I pointed out that unless it was a 2 or 3 year old Monkey there was no trouble.

Or if he were 6 foot 8 inches tall.

Barrachina's, 104 Calle Fortaleza. Good food and drinks, and they will hold your luggage while you walk around Old San Juan. Also, there is a taxi stop right in front.

Isn't Barrachina's also where the Pina Colada was first created. Kill two birds with one stone.

The only "strangely" configured interior might be the 4J Handicapped cabins in the front of the ship. The Interior with the big windows looking out on the secret deck. Some may have a large POST in the middle of the room and the beds cannot be moved together.

I've offered to take my father along on our April '17 Panama Canal Cruise. Dad is 80 and in excellent condition, very active, mentally sharp. I think he thinks HIS ship has sailed and won't go. He said it would make him uneasy being away from health care in an emergency. :confused::(

 

At what age do you seasoned cruisers think that you may be too old? I'm thinking some of you die hards would say that to die while cruising wouldn't be all that bad ;) but seriously do any of you have an anxious thoughts about good medical care in other parts of the world even covering yourself with the proper insurance? Would you ever think you were too old to cruise?

Tell him to get off his lazy a$$ and go. He will not be the oldest or most infirm on the Cruise and will have the time of his life.

Disembarkation port.

First, Don't use a Debit Card. Many have reported $3000+ holds on their account. And Carnival is not known for releasing the hold until at least 5 business days after you leave the ship.

Second, A benefit to buying Carnival Gift Cards. If you use American Express to buy the Carnival Gift Cards on line and use the American Express Checkout, you can get a $10 statement Credit until September 7 2016.

The Points Guy has the details here. http://thepointsguy.com/2015/07/amex-express-checkout/

Newegg sells the Carnival Gift Cards and possibly one or two of the other merchants participating.

I found out on the Breeze last year, that the Sauna actually had an Air Conditioning Vent in the room. So the Heat would be cooled????????. Found out when I noticed a small vent putting out a fog. Held my hand to it and it was cold air blowing in. Next time I was in, someone had put toilet paper in the vent. Also hated the push buttons that shut off the heat. Got so I would push the button to start, go do my workout in the Gym, come back and push the button again to heat it up. Seemed like it worked best midday when people have been using it all morning. Then it would be hot enough to break a sweat.

When Checking with Special Needs, you might also see about getting a gallon jug of Distilled Water. I know that they have it for CPAP machines. So distilled might be a good option.

According to most of the posts that I have read over the past year, Global Entry is not set up in Cruise Terminals. Basically because of the very few people who have it. And probably since the cruises are mostly loop cruises.

Possibly in the Future you might see them in New York at the Cruise Terminal, but for other ports, probably not in the foreseeable future.

 

. If you are unhappy with your tablemates; do not hesitate to exercise this option. .

I first read this as Exorcise this option. Every once in a while that may be necessary.

Or you could save $.30 per beer by buying Bud Light and squeezing a lime into it. The bar will give you limes if you buy a beer.

We actually prefer a larger table, since tablemates can be fun. Unfortunately, lately we have been given four tops. But we still have great times.

We had a four top booth a few years ago, on the first night we showed but the others did not, and the booth behind us was empty and the booth the other direction was empty and the 8 top next to the booth was empty and the six top next to that had another couple. So our wait team had 4 out of 26 positions filled. We should have had excellent service, but it seems that the Head Waiter told our wait team to avoid us. We contacted the Maitre 'D and he moved us to the other dining room with three other couples. They were fun. One couple ran a motel, and the other two couples were retired (One gent supposedly from the Military in Intelligence, so he remained kinda quiet) We were welcomed and had a great time.

On our last cruise we were seated with another couple at a six top near a window. They seemed to be a nice couple, but something was slightly off. It slowly became apparent that their political, religious, and social views (at least his) were about 180 degrees from ours. So we again asked for a change. The moved us to another 6 top with a couple that was fine. but they went to the steakhouse on three nights. But the table next to us was a lot of fun with a Canadian Policeman and two or three sisters in the group. We enjoyed their company and talked to them several times during the cruise. But they were 10 at an 8 top so there was no room to join them.

We will continue to ask for larger tables and late dining. Seems to work for us.