The Phoenixx

We arrived on the ship around 12:20 and went to look for our cabin. Some of the crew members were trying to hint to us that our room wasn't ready, but we are a little hardheaded and went to our rooms anyway. They were ready, so we dropped off the luggage, and I sent the girls to the Lido for lunch while I decorated their room with treats.

The newbies got seasick and one didn't go to dinner and the other went to dinner but didn't eat much. More pics of the Inspiration.

Just a few pics. The USS Iowa was busy for Memorial Day.

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We headed out to the port about 10:30. Since they were going to shuttle us to San Pedro, we saw busses lined up and ready to go.

We dropped off our luggage and headed to the first line. There were three lines set up outside the dome. One for priority and two for the...not so priority..us. I don't know how I mange to choose the line that will take the longest, but I am almost 100% accurate. So as we watched everyone around us get through the line and load the bus, I directed my party to not make eye contact, and don't ask any questions. She was a nice lady, but a little confused. I was checking in my daughter and myself, and she had a difficult time figuring out who I was and matching it up with my passport, but we were patient, smiled and made it to the next line for the bus.

We ready!!! Woohoo!!

We waited about 5 minutes and loaded the bus to San Pedro.

We had a great time!!! AND I finally figured out how to post pics. (even better)

This is our second time in the Inspiration and celebrating the same event (just a different daughter) GRADUATION!! My last one, and I am excited. We made more of this cruise than we did the last time. And I am glad we did. Traveling on this cruise along with myself and my graduate daughter her BFF and fellow graduate, and my cousin (first time cruiser, and yes she said I popped her cruising cherry SMH)

We drove from Phoenix on Sunday. We left at 6:15 am and arrived before noon. We had two graduations, and a graduation party on Saturday, so we were ready to head out of town for a vacation. We stayed with our cousin, hung out at Long Beach, and mentally prepared ourselves for a wonderful time.

We received a call and email from Carnival indicating we would be departing from San Pedro instead of Long Beach. We were about 15 minutes from Long Beach, and even though or email said to arrive after 1:00pm, we headed out early anyway.

Next up: Day One

The graduates building a sand castle at Long Beach

I haven't decorated on previous cruises. But I am this time. My baby is graduating and I will have an empty nest. Woohoo!! I am decorating the door and the cabin.

Are door decorations common on CCL? We've only done DCL but are trying CCL on the Vista next year. About 75-80% of the doors are decorated on DCL. These are our from last year. We changed the characters everyday but our license plates always stayed on. We just used magnets on back of the laminated door decor. We ended up adding a lot more magnets throughout the week that we received from other passengers in the Fish Extender gift exchange.

 

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Hey Neighbor!. I will be decorating my daughter's cabin for graduation. I got a lot of decorations from the dollar store, and will be using the command strips. Some other cc members mentioned the magnets not working on the doors and suggested the command strips to be safe.

I got chalkboard paper at Target, so in addition to the other graduation decorations, hopefully people will leave congrats to the girls on the paper.

Good, thanks, I'll go through the casino. Just annoyed they lied to me over the phone.

It annoys me too. I call back and ask for my call to be pulled. So they can be accountable for what they promised me to make the sale. Of course I have not done this with Carnival, but T-Mobile, oooohhhh weeeee.

Pack a heavy sweat shirt. The empress and promenade decks were very cold last week. I had an inside cabin on empress and needed an extra blanket, even with the air turned way back

 

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Thanks. I am cold natured anyway. Big Ben (favorite big sweater) is going on the trip! We are on the Empress deck.

Hope you have an awesome cruise!!! :cool::D:cool:

Thanks. I can't wait to hear about your B2B!!

I am glad we don't have to think about all the coulda shoulda woulda's anymore. Trust me, I was thinking about them all the time. But, now we can go and have a blast!! And I can get through the two graduations, the graduation party, without the extra worry. Excited!!!

Definitely expect a review :)

In 4 days my youngest will graduate high school. In 7 days we will drive to Cali. in 8 days we will be on the Inspiration, on vacation, chilling and having a ball. Looking forward to an awesome time. :)

Welp, I couldn't find anyone to take my cousins place, BUT.......she has decided to go. So I am glad I couldn't find anyone else to go, because I really wanted her to go. She needs the getaway, and she will now be hooked on cruising!!!! 9 days Woohoo!!

Enjoy!!!

If no refund...just hope the folks in current stress due to finances/theft, life issues etc. can go and enjoy the cruise without spending extra...if travel and all is paid for too.

 

The coffee/tea, morning juices one could put in a big tumbler from lido, lemonade and ice tea mix (Arnold Palmer) I like. And take some Mia or water enhancer that would be legal..your 12 pack of pop and allowed bottle of wine..and just do it.

 

Not everyone has a lot of extra and still has to go to survive this ol life....lots of good not over spending hard working people eek out this needed break...and do not have much overflow in these hard times. But going gives lots of folks the rest and energy they desperately need to make more when they get home (worked for me 2 times)...so my prayer is under all but the most dire circumstances...folks can go and let go of needing to spend more than the cruise and enjoy all paid for things..make it a game to comb the schedule for the freebies and watch the sunrise and sunsets from a deck chair with your big lidded mug from home filled with ice and something mentioned, something relatively cheap and/or paid for and "free" and legally brought on the ship.....Sarah

I agree Sarah. It can definitely be done without feeling like you are missing out.

Well, I couldn't talk my cousin into going. So I am trying to find someone to take her place. I am still not sure of the rate I am booked under but my TA told me that I can do a name change with no fee up until a week before the cruise. So I am hoping to help her recoup from someone that may want to go.

Ok.

 

If you booked early saver, there is no name changes. Any other rate you can change names for $50. You will need to talk with your Ta tomorrow.

 

At this point you are in 75% penalty, but if your cousin cancels, you would then have to pay solo supplement so you cousin would get 25% back, but then you would pay double. If she is a no show, you would not be hit with solo supplement, and your cousin would get port fees back which is a small amount.

 

At this point, she might as well go and do it on the cheap.

That's what I am trying to tell her. Thanks for the updates. I will have to wait and see what my TA says.

Thanks all. Still excited...woohoo!!

I assume the cruise you are talking about is your sailing on May 25th aboard the Inspiration. According to Carnival's ticket contract, the cancellation fee within 29 to 15 days of the sailing on 4 night cruises is deposit or 75% of total fare whichever is greater. This means that if your cousin cancels she will get very little in return.

 

If she can find someone to take her place, she could transfer it. However, I believe if the cruise was booked under the Early Saver rate, there will be a $50 penalty. Your travel agent could verify this.

Hoping this is the case. Then I have to find someone else to go. I should hear back from my TA tomorrow, but I wanted to ask the experts. Thanks.

How soon is the cruise?

19 days.

What rate and is it past final payment? I know you said it was paid for but was that on final payment date?

Not sure of the rate. We booked through a TA, and we tried to get a price adjustment when it dropped because we got a discount for living in Arizona. The final payment was made in March.

So, my cousin has decided (after she paid for the cruise) that it is not a good time to go on a cruise. She is having some financial troubles, but I told her not to worry about it. I got her. But a little thing called Pride is getting in the way of her accepting my offer. I am not sure I can talk her into going even though the trip is paid for. She wants to find out if it can be transferred to another person, and I am looking into that, but if I cant find anyone to take her place and she cancels, will I be penalized? Would it be better for her to be a no show? Will she get anything back if she is a no show? We didn't purchase trip insurance. :confused: What has been your experience?

Thanks.

This is not the first time I have see this deal on the boards. I didn't take advantage of the offer the first time, but I did this time. I think it was less than a month ago when I saw it. So depending on when you sail, you may be able to take advantage of the offer again.

Got it loaded onto my card. Now to go and see if our local Krogers carries the Carnival cards......

I had to go to 2 Fry's stores. The first one didn't carry them. Weird that one did and one didn't. Glad I found them. I got several cards. If you need or want additional cards, get the alternate ID from friends and family to get extra. They don't mind because they get the extra fuel points. :)

Got my first set. Woohoo. Waiting for the family to help me out. :D