dkc1973

We leave on the Dream on Sunday. I'm wondering if I'm going to regret it if I board the ship in shorts and no jacket. I'm thinking the time on the river may be windy and cool since the high temp for NOLA is 66.

Anyone been out there recently?

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Dream on Nov 2... Can't wait!!

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Thanks so much everyone!! I'm going to get him all set up so he can hit the casino anytime he wants. He will love it.

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Does anyone have instructions for using your S & S card in the slot machines? And maybe a pic of the buttons?

My dad loves to camp out at a quarter slot machine but he has a hard time remembering how to get money, cash out, etc. I'm thinking I could make a pocket sized cheat sheet for him if I had the info.

Thanks in advance!!

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CH 27088- wonderful review!! We are going in the Dream on Nov 2 and this was very helpful!!

You're right about the port too. I cruised on the Elation from there last year and it was a mess! No direction, staff not helpful. Just awful. If you ever get to go out if Galveston it's totally different. Their staff is awesome!!!

I hope you get some more pictures of the two of you together next time. I'm usually too shy to ask people to take pics for me but I know there are people who are happy to help.

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That didn't work well. I'll try again.

packing list in wod.docx

Hopefully I've attached a copy of my packing list. I'm open to any feedback and I've noted a few things below.

I am taking makeup because we hope to take a nice formal night shot. The tape is a tiny roll of electrical type tape - smaller than duct tape but sturdier than scotch tape. I have gotten as much as I could in the small/trial size, like deodorant, lotion, etc.

I know my first aid is a bit heavy but I'm cruising with my father and he takes a strong blood thinner and I want to be able to patch him up if he gets a scrape in the room (which he did last time).

The ponchos are packed up tiny and sunblock and bug spray are a must since we are doing a tour of some ruins.

I may leave off either the power strip or extension cord, but my father has a CPAP machine so we'll need one or the other. Oh and the fans, we keep reading that the Dream has a lot of hot cabins so we got 2 small O2 cool fans. We are in our first inside and if there is one thing that could make my father really miserable... it's being hot. He keeps his house around 72 degrees and tends to get grouchy if it gets over 76.

Wow so much info! Can't wait to get home to read and digest it. I'll also upload my list for advice.

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Dayenu- what kind of carryon do you use?

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We are going to Belize, Roatan and Cozumel. I'm planning to do laundry so I think I'll be ok on clothes. It's the idea of fitting clothes, shoes, sunblock, makeup, power strip, chargers for electronics, first aid kit, medications, camera, items for excursions and whoever else in one bag.

I'm sure my packing list has things others wouldn't take (clothespins) but I have found we do use them so my list has worked pretty well. I'm just wondering where others trim it back and still manage to make it ok.

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I'm going on my fourth cruise and it'll be my first seven day cruise. We head to NOLA on November 2nd and I'm beginning to gather up things. I always overpack and now having two extra days I'm fighting the urge to pack even more.

I read about people taking everything in a 24" bag and I look at my 24" bag-- Then my pile of chargers, makeup, shoes (only three pair), first aid items, meds, not even thinking of clothes.

How do you (they) do it?! Can anyone share their one suitcase packing list for a seven day?

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So far I've had no problems with the AC on the ships I've been on-- Triumph in an ocean view (2012) and balcony (2013) then Elation in a ocean view (2013).

However we have an inside on the Dream next month and I'm a bit worried after reading numerous postings about warm rooms on it and other ships. We will be taking a fan just in case.

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Go to google and type in (without the quotes) "carnival __ ada deck plan" - using your ship name in the blank.

It's the labeled deck plan for the Americans with Disabilities Act. They have them for all ships.

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We were on the Triumph the summer before her issues and again about 5 cruises after she came back into service. She's a great ship and I didn't notice any real issues on either cruise. Both times I did get a whiff of the sewer smell briefly but I also got it on the Elation last year. I think it's just a fact of cruise life.

I hope to be on Triumph again next year actually.

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Great info folks- thank you! I've seen a clock with an outlet and USB port and I think I need to find one!

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So far I've had ocean view and balcony but next month is the first inside we have tried- Lido on the Dream.

My only experience with an inside cabin was visiting one for a few minutes on Elation and being told by people how dark it can be in there.

Is there anything we should know like tricks or differences from the other types of cabins?

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I googled and got this. Hope it helps! http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1396324

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My father and I are looking for recommendations for private drivers in Belize. We aren't the cave tubing or snorkeling types and not sure the ruins will be worth drive and heat.

We mainly want to see the real Belize, maybe have some authentic food and check out some points of interest and maybe hit a few ships.

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In November I found a great cruise deal and when I told my Dad I was going he wanted to come so we went. Since then he's been saying he wants to go to Belize but he's never made action to set it up.

So I found a nice price and it came up in conversation and he's talking about that he might want to go too!!

This one is on the Dream. We have been on Elation and Triumph. Is there anything we should know about the Dream? I know it's larger, etc. But is that pretty much the main thing?

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I'm glad to see a lot of people have had great experiences with FTTF. I'm not sure I'd pay for it again but when the time comes I might give it another shot.

One thing I did do is to go back and read the FTTF description. I thought maybe there was a time listed as far as when rooms would be ready but it only says they will be ready when you board. Perhaps there needs to be better communication with the terminal folks. If you have rooms that are promised to be ready and they are not maybe they should not start loading passengers....?

Also wanted to add that both times the stewards were very apologetic and got us ready to go as soon as they could. We've always had wonderful stewards!

I thought I'd put it in the survey they send. We actually had a lot of quirky issues (outlet dead, beds left as king, piece of shower fell off, no sink stopper) but we spoke to guest services and they were all fixed promptly.

Our main reason for FTTF is because of medical equipment my dad can't check so the idea of getting on and dropping it off was great for us.

Maybe we just have bad FTTF luck!

Well these are the tips I'd offer:

- If you park at port get off the elevator on floor two or you'll just end up going back up there

- they take a picture even before you get to security and you split into the FTTF and regular line there.

- then you go to the far end of a large room to another FTTF line. But when done go left through the other lines to get back to the chairs

- to board you will walk along the roped off area along the windows. They'll let weddings go in a different area. Best seats will be along the middle aisle.

I wish I had tips in regard to the room but maybe they'll have them ready for you when you get on.

However, the rest of our trip was good! Pearl, on the entertainment team, is hilarious!!

Just got back from our cruise and we used Tours Plaza again. This time we had Alberto and he was great. As our previous driver did, he pulled over to talk about what we wanted to see and do. He recommended Playa Palencar for us and it was perfect.

My niece was a bit skeptical about having a driver but by the end she was very impressed and loved the convenience.

We just had our first cruise from New Orleans but we have had two from Galveston. New Orleans parking was nice for sure, but does anyone else find the New Orleans port to be a bit confusing and, well, less friendly than Galveston? We are wondering if it was a bad day or what.

They had nobody directing FTTF people to that line. The only people there were halfway down the way and there wasn't even a sign as to what the line was for. When I went over to ask if we should be in that line all three employees acted like I was stupid for not knowing. Then my nieces suitcase had to be checked because the screener just looked at it and said it wouldn't fit in the scanner even though it's within the limits and went through fine in Galveston.

When my niece came back and checked in she told the lady she had FTTF and asked where to sit (Galveston has a designated area) and the lady told her to sit all the way to the end and pointed to the area. We went where she was and found out it wasn't a FTTF area and was in fact the farthest point from the loading area.

Even when we got back my niece had an employee snap at her and roll her eyes at her (she was waiting on one of our group that went to the bathroom and she was well out of the way and not blocking anything)

I'd like to give New Orleans another shot but if this is the norm I might think long and hard before doing it.

I've done FTTF at Galveston in July and we did it at New Orleans last week and neither time was our room ready. In New Orleans they had nobody directing us to the FTTF line so we were in the regular line till I got ahold of someone to ask about it.

At the end, they had us meet in a lounge and escorted us out but none of the luggage was ready. We stood and waited 20 minutes while watching hundreds of self assist folks slide out of the terminal to their cars.

FTTF wasn't a lot of help.