beachbum6264

No they don't. They just need their boarding pass.

Our middle names are on our passports, but I don't think we've ever put them on the Carnival bookings. Pretty sure they are just looking at first/last names, so if you go by your middle name don't put that as your first name when you book, or if you get married and haven't changed your name on your passport then you should book using whatever name is on your passport.

Just went and looked at my bookings - no middle names. If they don't ask, I assume they don't need them.

I've never carried mine with me, ever. That's a number I wouldn't want stolen if someone were to steal my purse or wallet. I can cancel my credit cards, but it's kind of hard to cancel a SS card. Mine is locked away.

Check out the ports of call boards here on CC - there is a lot of great information there. We are beach people, so we generally just take a taxi to a beach instead of an organized excursion. The times we have done excursions I've found ideas in the ports section here, as well as in a couple of reviews I have read here.

Maybe if you tell what types of things you like to do, and what ports you are going to someone will have ideas.

Grand Cayman - 7 Mile Beach, soft sand beautiful water, you can see the ship (but you'll need either a bus ride or taxi, easy to get there) We go to Royal Palms beach club, pool is adult only.

Cozumel - Paradise Beach - $3 entrance fee, $18 more for the water toys, not sure how old kids are, they should be able to swim to use them. Great pool, beach is OK, less rocky to the right facing the water. They do ask you to spend $10pp on food/drink while you're there. Food is pretty good. We've been going there for years. Taxis alway available to get back to port easily.

I googled parent consent travel letter (or something similar) and found many.

Here's a link to one:

https://sample-parent-consent-to-travel-abroad.pdffiller.com

Hope that helps. Better to have one and not need it than need one and not have it.

If you want a certain time slot for your "arrival time" you probably want to do your on line check in pretty close to Oct. 1. Have your passports, a credit card, and phone number for an emergency contact on hand. Not a long process, nice to get it over and done.

$75 per person and you can purchase directly from Carnival

 

https://www.carnival.com/awaywego/cruising-fun/how-to-plan/everything-you-need-to-know-before-cruising-to-cuba

 

Isn't Google wonderful (hint)

I don't think the OP was asking about the visa, which is what Carnival and most other cruise lines get for you. There is also more paperwork to fill out, a multi-page form that shows what you are doing while in Cuba, you just check the box next to what kind of eligible travel you have planned. We went to Cuba on HAL, if I remember correctly I emailed and they sent me a link to the form - you might want to try that with Carnival.

Not a problem, we've done it several times. As long as it fits through the scanner you're fine.

If you have Priority you can show up whatever time you want - the time on your boarding pass can be ignored. You can show up as early as 10, they'll let you in the doors pretty early. You won't actually board until the ship has been cleared, usually sometime between 11 & 11:30. You can check in and wait in the Priority lounge.

I’m curious if they count the number of bags. Traveling with small child. Can I just make a copy of the luggage tag and put on an extra suitcase?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Make a copy or just print another one.

No.

You might be at ***** at Key West and will take a bus through the base into town, but no tender.

In Cuba you'll be docked also.

After 14 cruises with Carnival I finally got a call! I've gotten emails before (and took advantage of one), but this was the first upsell call. We have a midship inside cabin on Main deck, they offered a balcony for $200. No thanks, it's only $300 more to have booked it that way. We can buy several drinks with that $200, and we will.

I used to book with a local TA before we moved. She called me several times with upsell offers she had gotten from Carnival for us. I never got any personally when I booked through her. Now I book on my own and have gotten emails a few times, and phone call today. Only took them up on one of them tho.

It shouldn't be, if you go at your chosen/assigned arrival/check-in time.

A follow up question: Is it better to pick a later time to complete my check in so I won't "take a spot" of an earlier time for someone that isn't platinum? I think I read that in a thread somewhere on here once.

No, pick the time that you will really be there. That way there won't be more people there during that time slot than they expect - does that make sense? If you pick 1:00, then show up at 11:00, then that's at least 2 more people in the terminal than was signed up for that time. There are times for a reason.

You know it's a work of fiction when they call the Carnival Paradise a "luxury liner'!

Don't get me wrong, I love the smaller ships (read my signature, it's full of them), but 'luxury' they're not.

Ok how do I put this.......Your overthinking this. The rules are there to stop people from moving via cruise ship.

 

I have never ever seen them weigh your luggage it just has to fit thru the screening machines. Cruise terminals are nothing like airlines that weigh your bags. They look for people bringing in stuff they shouldn't drugs, alcohol, weapons. Not how many shoes you need.

 

For us we pack a change of clothing for everyone and a swimsuit in the carryon. With medications and sunblock.....lots of sunblock. Any electrons are in our "personal bag" backpack for kids, tote for me. We have nice 4 wheel carryon bags and we just take 1 or 2 to lunch with us and then I sit with the bags when the kids and DH hit the pool/slides. We don't explore the ship until after dinner. But that us.

 

I have no experience with carry on drinks I would think the wine would have to be checked but soda could go into the checked bag. They will be moving your checked bag a lot and stuff will get thrown on top of it ect. DO NOT put anything that could break in it, unless you pack it very carefully and in hard side luggage.

NO! Soda has to be carried on too. Years ago you could just slap a luggage tag on a case of drinks check it. No more - you have to carry it on. I saw a suitcase sitting outside a doorway on embarkation day once - it was obvious they had packed their drinks in it - and the drinks had leaked.... I wouldn't not have wanted have the suitcase under theirs in the pile.

Carry on all electronics, cameras and medications. We take one small rolling bag for canned drinks and our 2 bottles of wine, and a backpack for electronics and meds. I usually only take my Kindle and point and shoot camera with extra battery.

We've never weighed a bag, pretty sure a few times we've been over 50 pounds - nothing has ever been said - porters just take their tips and toss the bag on the pile. (we always drive to the port)

Hard to find info or photos of something that really doesn't exist yet.

Our P/D party on the Miracle in March was on Friday - the 2nd sea day - at 5:00 in the Mad Hatter's Lounge.

Living in Florida with 5 cruise ports does have its perks!

Amen!!

Recently moved to SW FL and had to fly back to NY for a Horizon cruise we booked before we had any thought of moving! Now it's a 2 hr drive to either Tampa or FLL, and just a bit more to MIA.

 

Really bad news about the red tide and blue green algae situation here, worst it's ever been in intensity and duration. Whale shark, manatees, dolphins, over 400 sea turtles, and tons of dead fish have all washed ashore. It's supposed to be a water paradise here, yet you can't go to the beach or fish, YIKES!

You must be close to me... I'm in Cape Coral, where are you?

Good job husband!!!! Awesome you guys get to go on short notice.

The joys of being retired and living a couple hours drive from either Miami or Tampa. All those years has finally paid off. I think he'd go more often if I could find some really cheap fares.

He decided that October 29 was too far away and too long to wait... so we are now booked on the Sept. 15 Sensation cruise so he doesn't have to wait so long! Oh, we're still going on the October cruise too - but the man is so impatient! This time it's OK with me.

We are in SW Florida where the blue-green algae and red tide have made it impossible to be on the beach for over a month. We were talking about going to the east coast for a few days, but this cruise was cheaper. I'm happy with that.