Kimberlyr22

We went with the anytime dining to allow our 13 year old more flexibility if there are activities he wants to do that overlap early or late dining times. Also, I expect we won't eat in the MDR every night and I don't want to have to worry about letting someone know so that they don't hold up service for others at our table waiting for us.

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Are you on the August 3 sailing? I can see all the Disney trips on the excursion list (magic kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood studios, animal kingdom). You might want to call Carnival and find out why you can't see them?

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I was just thinking about this same topic for our Pride cruise this summer, and finally decided on the second Sea Day (Day 3); essentially by process of elimination.

We are also traveling with a 13 year old who is excited to meet other kids and check out Circle C, but also wants to do the Steakhouse. I believe there's orientation and get togethers that first night for the kids clubs, so that was out. My husband avoids elegant evening like the plague, so day 2 was out. We didn't want to do it on a port night because our excursions are all pretty full day events, except for Freeport; but I assume Freeport is the second elegant night, so again, that's out. And I didn't want to do the last night of the cruise figuring the kids camps will have something planned, plus that's my packing and enjoying a few more hours on the balcony night.

Thanks for the answers. I made a third and final call to Carnival today and got a representative who, without having to beg, said because I had early saver she could just lower my price to the kids sail free rate ($220 savings), gave me the 30 day out final pmt date, and kept me on early saver so if suite rates drop again I still have maneuverability. Although at this point I'm more than happy. I thought early saver stopped being a benefit when your room category sold out, but as others have said, it all depends on who you get on the phone that day (which should be fixed, but worked out in my favor this time!).

Holding on tightly to the confirmation email in case I run into any issues.

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In a bit of a conundrum so I thought I'd ask the advice of those who know better than me...

I currently have Early Saver rate booked for our August cruise on the Pride. Three of us in a Vista Suite.

The price has not budged since I booked the cruise six-ish months ago; however, the Kids Sail Free promotion looks like it would provide a small discount. However, within an hour of me figuring out I could get a small savings and move my final payment date out to 30-days before the cruise, the last Vista Suite was snatched up.

I talked to Carnival and was told I can gamble and cancel my room and then immediately rebook, hoping that what I think the price will be is actually the price it is....but I'm torn.

The base rate for the Kids Sail Free promo for suites on my cruise (for three people) is $3458; Vista Suites when I booked were $10/person/day more than the base rate. So assuming this remains true, I'd be looking at a $70 savings (after the $150 early saver penalty is assessed); but, more importantly, I'd be able to push my final payment to July, which would allow me not to dig into my savings for this cruise.

I guess the ultimate question is -- when the Vista Suite goes back to available, will it not be included in Kids Sail Free, or extra price per day go up?

Thoughts/advice/prior experience?

Thanks!

The one downside to the downtown Baltimore hotels is what kind of parking they have. Some have valet only garage parking (good); others, like what I believe the HIE downtown has, are back alley open parking lots (not so good). How well or often they're monitored is a good question. Because this hotel is in downtown Baltimore, the risk is probably higher that someone would have access/opportunity to your car than they would at a hotel near the airport, which is in the suburbs and not in a high, random, foot traffic area.

Also, if you're not familiar with Baltimore, it's much easier to find the BWI hotels than it is to figure out downtown Baltimore. I've been driving in and around Baltimore City on a fairly frequent basis for 10+ years and it still takes me forever to find new places (especially in the dark).

We used to stay at the Tremont Plaza Hotel downtown, which I think is now an Embassy Suites, and I don't see a cruise package option. Tremont was fantastic..$30-$40 more than the BWI hotels, but nice suites, fantastic sit down breakfast included, and the quick shuttle ride to the port was private SUV...not shuttle bus cattle call, like I've heard horror stories of at the BWI hotels.

I haven't been in that cabin but originally had it booked for an August cruise. Ended up switching to a deck 7 VS that opened up because some of the reviews on here noted the noisy Deck above that room.

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That is my husband. He loves cruising for the ship, could care less about the ports and has no want to get off the boat and do anything. He is not a traveler, so cruising is our compromise. A one hour drive to Baltimore (anything within a two hour drive is in his comfort zone), we jump on a boat, and he doesn't have to move off that boat for a week. For our next cruise I booked him an aft wrap on the Pride. That way he has his own big balcony (he likes privacy and relaxation) and I figure he won't move from that spot for the exception of most food, a few shows, and a jeep excursion in Freeport that was the only excursion that appealed to him at all. I'll have my 13 year old stepson with us to join me in other excursions and boat activities.

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I've learned that you always get more than the facts. This page has given me many a laughs :D

 

I'm a "rules sort of person" too. We decided to get FTTF only because we will be traveling with 3 kids and all of their "stuff". I would rather get there early, drop off bags, eat, go back to room and unpack and then get on with the vacation :) if I wasn't traveling with the kids I probably wouldn't bother!

This exactly...only I include my husband as a kid. He loves cruising in the fact that he likes hanging out on the balcony of the room and doing nothing (anti-social is an understatement for what he is)...so we purchased the FTTF specifically so he could get to his balcony quicker without ignoring the rules.

Thanks for the responses. We're cruising next August and have three of us (me, husband, 12 year old step son) and currently have aft wrap 8268. I was doing some checking of prices for a friend of mine and saw the afts were available on every other deck when looking for a room for two. Disappointing! I would love to have one on the fourth deck. I checked out the connecting room, but pretty sure the husband wouldn't okay spending that much for just the three of us!

Curiousity...I know that there is a difference between the Aft Wraps on deck 5 and all the other decks, but can anyone explain why the Aft Wraps on deck 4 are for two people and deck 8 for three? From my research and viewing of photos and YouTube videos, they look exactly the same.

Thanks!

I didn't read through all the posts, but the first thought that came to my head when I looked at the thread was desserts on the buffet. We feel like we're eating in a nursing home -- lots of pudding, custard, jello based inedible "desserts" with way too much going on in them. On our last cruise we wondered why they couldn't just have cake. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive, just good, yummy normal cake, variety of flavors. Or pie.

We finally concluded that for desserts sometimes places just try too hard and it comes out bad.

Another Lancaster county cruiser - just booked our first cruise on the Pride for August 3rd next year. My husband is not a big vacation guy, but we've found he does enjoy cruising as long as it's every other year instead of every year. We did out first cruise on RC's Enchantment last year --- we are not flyers, so hopefully when we're ready for our 2016 cruise there will be a new ship to explore in Baltimore.

When I read about Carnival taking the Pride out of Baltimore it sited a new environmental fee, but my Carnival rep said they're moving the Pride because of lack of interest at the Baltimore port and not filling the ship.