Saturngrl

I will only book a massage at Canyon Ranch for a port day or if they are offering a sale on board ship.  I always get a massage in port.  This time we have reservations for beach front massages at Nachi Cocum for a fraction of the Canyon Ranch price. 

I love my TA!  My first experiences with TAs were okay because they were in charge of fundraising cruises for our gang. I've also booked directly through the cruise line (most expensive option). 

 I met my current TA at a local Chamber of Commerce event and she has been WONDERFUL.  I can call her any time, I can email her and she instantly responds with great options, and arranges the best perks for us.  I will never book a cruise without her again!

24 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

Well, I can't help you with culture.  😋  But I'd suggest snorkeling with the stingrays in Georgetown if you've never done that.  And maybe Nachi Cocum in Cozumel.  Maya Chan is good in Costa Maya as there isn't much at the port.

Nachi Cocum in Cozumel is great because they only limit entry to 130 people a day.  If you want more to do and a great beach day in Cozumel, Mr. Sancho's Beach Club is awesome.  I agree with the recommendation for snorkeling with stingrays or the Turtle farm in Grand Cayman.

I recommend you do NOT book excursions through the cruise line for the above excursions.  You will get a better price through ShoreTrips or booking directly with the vendor.

Happy sailing!

Tapacuk,

Other options for embarkation day lunch include Sushi on 5 (ala carte charge per item) and the Aqua Spa Cafe' (also a potential upcharge). 

Those of us who pre-purchased a Specialty Dining package will be assigned the first restaurant on choice of Day 1 or 2.  My friend and I plan to confirm our other reservations after we board and enjoy the Concierge luncheon. 

Hope this helps.

Embassy suites near the port is currently undergoing renovations.  I do not recommend it until mid-21019.  The Marriott Waterside is great!

I've never seen a children's menu for the Concierge lunch.  The chicken and fries is probably the best of the three entrée choices for children.  My friends and I have tried all three entrée choices and they are all good!

Carnival has staggered check in times, from which (to my understanding) are enforced.  The exceptions to this rule are Suites, higher tier VIFP members and FTTF.   Hope this helps. 

Travel insurance is very important!  I fractured my left foot in the very first port of call on my very first cruise.  Travel insurance reimbursed the cost of my two visits to the ship's medical facility.  Great peace of mind....

I've sailed in Concierge on both M and S class ships.  It's totally worth it to me.  In addition to the other perks cited by previous posters, I also enjoy going to a designated disembarkation lounge that has continental breakfast, caffeine and juice.  It's a very nice way to wait to disembark the ship.  

The Embarkation luncheon in the MDR is awesome.  They have a designated area in the MDR to store your carry-on luggage while you are served and begin to meet your fellow Concierge passengers!

Also, the ship tends to offer some other unannounced perks during the cruise---we were treated to sparkling wine with the senior crew on the helipad when the Summit sailed out of Bermuda.  Awesome!

I've used Park n' Go multiple times and have never seen monkeys go past the entryway into the complex.  I love Park n' Go and will only park there when sailing from Port Everglades.

Mr. Sancho's at Cozumel is the BEST all-inclusive beach club!  All you can eat and drink, two pools with swim-up bars, great beach, massages, aquapark, horse back riding, jet skiing, and more.

Jamaica is not a fun place to be...stay in port there.  Grand Cayman offers many different excursions, but we've never done the beach there. 

Have fun on your cruise!

I like to find a bartender early in the cruise, hand him/her a $10 or $20 and ask the bartender to take special care of me and my friends.  This is always a success for great service!  

I also agree that it is more enjoyable than fighting the crowds at the buffet. Having said that, I certainly do not base my decision to stay in a concierge cabin on this perk.

The embarkation luncheon and the dedicated Concierge pre-disembarkation lounge are huge perks for me to book this level of service, as well as the prime cabin locations on board. I may be tempted to book Aqua Class in the future just to try Blu. We shall see....

I love the Concierge Class Embarkation lunch. The menu includes choice of Caesar salad or butternut squash soup, entrée of grilled chicken with fries, whole wheat pasta with veggies, grilled salmon on spinach and mashed potatoes or short rib. Dessert choices are apple pie (as I recall) or ......? (Sorry, I don't eat sugar and can't remember).

The luncheon is a nice way to quietly enjoy your first meal on the ship without having to haul your carry-on luggage until the cabins are ready.

I'm one of those cruisers who appreciates being able to sit inside for Muster drill, versus lining up on deck like sardines in the heat . We arrive to our Muster station at least 30 minutes prior to the drill to ensure seating. I have little-to-no-heartburn about our keeping those seats, for medical reasons.

I have asthma which is triggered by fragrances. For that reason, I bring a mask with me to Muster drill to wear. Yes, it gets crowded, but I center myself, take in the redundant videos and feel empowered to know where to go in case of emergency. It's an hour of my time to launch a fabulous vacation!

I have sailed on the Silhouette twice and the Constellation once. Constellation is an M class ship, smaller than the Solstice Class ships like Silly. They are both beautiful ships. I prefer the Silly for the wine tour in the MDR, the Lawn Club Grill, the Alcoves and lots of other cool features. Hope this helps.

Silhouette and Reflection have never had the hot glass show and were built with the Lawn Club Grill instead. I personally love the LCG! :cool:

I love the LCG too! Will miss having that feature when sailing Equinox this February.

Take the upgrade! Concierge hump cabins on Solstice class ships are the largest short of a suite cabin. I love Concierge status: the embarkation luncheon in the MDR, the welcome bottle of bubbly and fruit, the dedicated on-board Concierge and the pre-departure Concierge lounge.

Solstice class ships are built with two separate engines in case one fails (learning from the Carnival Triumph fire). I also experienced a power outage on the Constellation, after the tech team updated their computers the prior day. That upgrade shorted out the ship's power. They repaired it while we were in port.

You should be up and running shortly. Happy sailing!

In Cozumel, Mr. Sancho's Beach Club is great for families. All-inclusive, two pools with swim up bars, nice beach, plus added features like an aqua park, parasailing, horseback riding, massage....it's a great day!

I'm the Seasick Queen and follow a strict regimen to prevent getting seasick. There are multiple options for both preventing and/or treating seasickness:

1. Seabands (available at your drug store) wrist bands

2. Over the counter meds like non-drowsy Dramamine, Bonine, Antivert (Meclazine) taken at least two days before cruising and throughout the cruise

3. Scopolomine patches (available only by prescription)

4. Ginger pills, ginger candy, ginger gum

5. Green apples

A ship the size of the Equinox will have minimal rocking, due to the stabilizers on a Solstice class ship. You are going to love cruising!

I highly recommend Park n' Go in Ft. Lauderdale. They accept reservations, will park your car for you, drop you at your pier in a very timely manner. There are monkeys that roam the property---so cute! Upon return, their shuttles are at the pier, your car will be ready when you arrive and you receive bottled water. All this for a percentage of the cost of port parking!

I've sailed several cruise lines and they have all been very busy on Embarkation Day. I recommend booking excursions in advance through the cruise line or ShoreTrips.com. Your TA may also have a recommendation for you.

I love Concierge status and wouldn't sail in any lesser cabin. In addition to the welcome bubbly and fruit in cabin, there are:

--Embarkation lunch in the MDR (no buffet crowd hassles)

--Daily canapés (tiny, but nice) in your cabin

--Concierge lounge with coffee, tea, pastries at Disembarkation (no hunting for a spot to wait to disembark)

--Dedicated on board Concierge (who was very helpful during my last Thanksgiving cruise)

Yes the Concierge cabins are larger on M class ships. They are better located on the S Class ships.

The only changes I would ever consider would be Aqua or Suite class on future cruises.

I found it for my October 2019 Paradise cruise as soon as I booked the cruise through my TA. I've urged my friends cruising with me to take advantage of this pronto, before it sells out! Yes, it's worth the $70 per cabin for us!