kierra

For those sailing out of Baltimore originally and now shifted to Norfolk who have Cheers please note the change recently posted to Carnival’s website. Cheers can only be used starting 6am the 2nd day in Norfolk instead of immediately in Baltimore.

From the website:

https://www.carnival.com/drink-packages/cheers-package/cheers-SUM

One thing - Carnival does not try to market to Solo or Single travelers at all and this push on a focus on families with Children focuses on that. Many lines are starting to have solo groups or solo cabins, Carnival still has such a high single supplement that it deters single/solo cruisers away from carnival even tho most of those have more disposable income to spend while vacationing. So maybe Carnival hasn't given up on adults but they have clearly done that for one group.

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I've never understood why muster happens right before sail away and not in small groups as soon as you board the ship. Get it done first and quickly

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They normally have a discount for the week long spa pass if you do the tour

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I'm typically back on the ship an hour or more before sail away - just wondering about the uniqueness (at least to me) of private islands

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So been to lots of ports and seen lots of pier runners and it makes sense in Nassau and other places how someone can miss the ship - but does that really even happen on privately owned islands like HMC? Do they really sail off without you? From what I understand it's not like you can just go to a resort and stay it's private isn't it?

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Take a look at the Freeport Dock on Google maps. It's clearly a Carnival ship, but which one? My husband thinks it's the pride but I don't think so. Thoughts?

Different ships have different muster stations and procedures.

But it was the pride in both post

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They don't just change Muster Stations. One of the resident experts Chengpk75 has explained it before. Here is one of the threads.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2289160

Interesting post - but I wonder why the previous poster has muster outside while mine we were routed back to the Taj Mahal and we sat on the balcony listing to the muster talk done on the stage. I know last December I didn't stand outside for muster I would have remembered that!

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Wow that's surprising last time we were on the Pride muster was in the Taj Mahal. I hope it's not outside on our Dec 18 cruise!

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Frequent passengers, even in planes, are not keen anymore in watching the demo. I guess it's human nature not to be interested until it is needed.

 

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No, I think it's that enough of us travel that some of us could recite the safety briefings and could tell you if they missed anything.

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Don't know about the walker talkies - haven't seen folks use them. You can get a small dry erase board from a discount or dollar store to leave messages for each other and hang it off your mailbox outside your room with some string.

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Why is it assumed that everyone wants to be a CEO? Choosing a career does not necessarily mean choosing a career path of upward mobility. Not everyone in the world wants that whether they have that option or not. Everyone has their own motivation - and I stick to my statement, this is the career they choose. Thank you tallyho8 for the excellent example.

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Hmm... that's a very American point of view.

I don't get it - how is that an American point of view? People always have options - some are darned near impossible to achieve but many do all around the world.

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Does the Pizza Pirate on the Pride have the expanded menu?

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This is the career they choose to do, why should I feel bad about it?

Everyone has options.

I personally like room service 2x a day (mostly to dump trash and fresh towels) and I like fresh ice often (would rather get it myself but that's not an option) but I also leave the room so immaculate it doesn't look like I'm even staying there so it's not that hard to freshen up for them.

If they have too many rooms or paid too little or have helpers - not my problem. If it was a problem, Carnival would reduce room cleaning to once a day or less, and there would be complaints over all the boards of rooms not getting cleaned and cranky housekeeping. For the most part I'm not seeing that.

I pay the gratuities, I get the service.

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Kierra,

 

 

 

I'm on the same cruise as you. There is a roll call on here if you are interested (it's not very active though) and also the social media platform that Zuckerberg started. If you look for "Bahama Carnival Pride" over there it should pop up. It also has the date Dec. 18 2016 in the page title.

 

 

 

Here's the link to the roll call on these boards

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2358740

Thanks for letting me know - I'm on both. It's like 59 days left, yippie!

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I'm so tempted to get FTTF just to unpack and get that out of the way early but I know in the past when I tried to sneak into my room it seemed like those big bulkhead/ fire proof/ passageway doors were locked out so you couldn't get to your room. I don't want to pay for FTTF and not get to drop things off so how do you get to your room if you have FTTF? Do you just try to open the hallway door and wait for someone to unlock it or?

Thanks to those who gave some interesting tips, if we get off at this port we might hit the Art Galleries, I didn't realize there were so many downtown. It's nice to hear that perhaps I just had a few bad experiences and/or things have changed.

On a cruise we tend to like to just find an all-inclusive, hit the beach and relax and chill. Maybe a little shopping, maybe a little gambling if in the mood - very low key. Not really into the tour thing although too many have suggested we hit Kennedy Space Center this time at the Port Canaveral stop since we've never done that before so we might.

This itinerary has 4 ports back to back on an 8 day cruise so there is lots of port time (Charleston, PC, Nassau and Freeport).

At this point, with all of the flooding and storms from Hurricane Matthew, i just hope no one else loses their lives and am so blessed to worry about things like this instead of the basics of life. My heart and prayers go out to anyone in its path.

Thank you to those who responded. I typed the wrong town in my message but I am not confused (just not paying attention and typed the wrong name). I lived in a small town in upstate SC for five very long years in the early 90's and have been to both cities a few times back then and never saw the quaint southern charm others see. Instead my experience held only racism, sexism, hatred and a lot of people living/obsessed in the past.

But that was a long time ago, places change - people change - heck I've changed too and that's why I'm trying to look at this objectively - asking for experiences of those who have stopped here as a port of call mid-cruise (not traveled there non-cruise although thank you for your advice).

Thank you to the person who posted the visitors center info I will give it an honest look, and yes of course I could google it but I was wanting to hear from others who have cruised through this port before and what their experiences were.

And I'm sorry but staying onboard on any port is not crazy, it is rude to suggest it is.

I disagree that it's a newbie thing to be a woman dragging a purse around. I'm not a cruise newbie, but I have either a tote bag or a big bucket purse I carry around - to hold my yarn and whatever project I'm working on and Kleenex (or a book or word find or something). I don't want to have to hoof it back to my room, I'm on vacation and I wanna have fun at any given moment without having to delay to walk back to my room and lose the perfect lounger or whatever :)

So while you all are waiting in line to do whatever, waiting for a show to start, etc. I'll be sitting/standing there crocheting or reading totally enjoying my vacation :)

One of the port stops on the Pride out of Baltimore is Charlotte. I'm not too thrilled about stopping at this port, for those who had this as a port stop, what did you do? Stay on the boat? Do one of the few excursions? Go do something fabulous on your own?

I'm trying to be optimistic here but I really wish we didn't have that port and trying to be open to opportunities I might not know about. Thanks

Is there any way to select your check in time?

Yep - I don't think all ports are that way but for me Baltimore is. You select it when you do the online check-in, or its printed on your cruise docs if done by a travel agent probably

I'm sailing on her for Halloween and can definitely let you know as that will be closer to your date. I've been finding the consensus is that the earlier your check in time is FTTF is not really needed, as you are boarding a few minutes after priority.

Thanks that's what I think happened last year - my concern isn't so much getting on the boat the fastest (ok that's a little lie as I have a 11am check in time) my biggest concern is standing outside in potentially snow or rain or sleet and cold to get on and it triggering an asthma attack. I'd rather not start my cruise off that way and if FTTF got me on sooner so I didn't have to wait outside that's a small price to pay.

I know earlier this year the Pride had a little incident with the dock in Baltimore - is that repaired? I'm leaving on the Pride Dec 18th and if they are still loading at Deck 0 outside I'm tempted to just buy faster to the fun so as to not have to wait outside (I think deck 0 entry is all outdoors, no?)

Last year we got on so fast without it so it would have been a waste.

Anyone have an update or any ideas?