A bunch of ?'s! Glory, Dec, Newbie

Hello! I've been reading a bunch of other posts until my eyes are blurry so I'm trying to see if I can sum up all my questions in one post. Some are dumber then others LOL but I really like to know what to expect and my family expects me to do all the planning and I feel the pressure from them and from my bank account!

This is our first cruise. First time off the east coast mainland, never been to Florida either,

Soo....

1)Are you allowed to decorate your cabin? We are going the week before Christmas and I had the idea to bring a small tree that would pack down into a small box with our luggage. Then we could pop it up in our hotel room as well. First time away from home at Christmas.

2) Will the ship itself be decorated at all for the holidays? Should we expect holiday events/activities ?

3) I see about the soda drinks, we are allowed 1, 12 pack of cans per person. Can we buy more at our port of calls?

4) Is drinking the water from the faucet ok or should we stick with bottled water? We usually drink bottled at home and add those little flavor packets to them.

5)We are no alcohol people, just don't like it, don't wanna be involved with it. No partying clubbing etc. Is this going to be a bummer on the trip? Will we have trouble finding non drinking people/activities?

6)Do we have to check our bags or can we take them to the cabin ourselves?

7)We have a 12:30-1 check in time. Do we need to be inline before 12:30 or arrive at 12:30? We are flying in the day before and want to get on board and squared away as soon as we can.

8)Getting to the dock, whats the closest Rental car place nearby?

9) How really hard is tendering, getting off and back onboard? Time wise?

10)My husband wants to stick with any cruise booked excursions to be safe and worry free. Is this really the best route?

11) Excursions are so expensive! I was thinking doing them on Belize and Cozumel and sticking close to the beach or ship for Grand Cayman, Mahogany Bay.

12) We love nature, natural, sticking to ourselves and non crowded. Is this even going to be possible??? We usualy enjoy state parks, hikes and such at home.

13) is it worth paying for beach excursions/ private cabanas etc?

14) The tipping thing, I didn't know it was a thing until today. So they will auto bill you $13? Per Day, Per Person? or can we change this amount? I prefer to tip based on actual service and not "suggested guidelines" Times 4 people x 7 days adds up quick and we are very easy keepers.

15) Weather in December? Still expect hot and warm weather? What about on board? Does it run on the cold side with the AC?

16) How "really" crowded is it going to be on board? Are we actually going to be able to get in the pools and stuff or is it always full? Do you have to wait for a space at dinner? Where are some good quite places to be on board?

I am a total introvert so this whole "people" thing is a nerve wracking thing. But I want to push the boundaries and try new things, new foods, new places and most importantly have a fun, great, once in a lifetime adventure with our family.

This is all i can currently think of! I will also keep reading both Carnival and Cruisecritic pages!

Thank you for any answers to help ease my mind!

Hello! I've been reading a bunch of other posts until my eyes are blurry so I'm trying to see if I can sum up all my questions in one post. Some are dumber then others LOL but I really like to know what to expect and my family expects me to do all the planning and I feel the pressure from them and from my bank account!

This is our first cruise. First time off the east coast mainland, never been to Florida either,

Soo....

1)Are you allowed to decorate your cabin? We are going the week before Christmas and I had the idea to bring a small tree that would pack down into a small box with our luggage. Then we could pop it up in our hotel room as well. First time away from home at Christmas. Yes, as long as it is not flammable.

2) Will the ship itself be decorated at all for the holidays? Should we expect holiday events/activities ? Yes

3) I see about the soda drinks, we are allowed 1, 12 pack of cans per person. Can we buy more at our port of calls? Yes

4) Is drinking the water from the faucet ok or should we stick with bottled water? We usually drink bottled at home and add those little flavor packets to them. You can drink the tap water

5)We are no alcohol people, just don't like it, don't wanna be involved with it. No partying clubbing etc. Is this going to be a bummer on the trip? Will we have trouble finding non drinking people/activities? No

6)Do we have to check our bags or can we take them to the cabin ourselves? You can carry it on

7)We have a 12:30-1 check in time. Do we need to be inline before 12:30 or arrive at 12:30? We are flying in the day before and want to get on board and squared away as soon as we can. You can arrive at 12:30

8)Getting to the dock, whats the closest Rental car place nearby?

9) How really hard is tendering, getting off and back onboard? Time wise? You need to be in a queue to get to the tender boat. So the earlier, the better

10)My husband wants to stick with any cruise booked excursions to be safe and worry free. Is this really the best route? It's safe and worry free but not cheaper.

11) Excursions are so expensive! I was thinking doing them on Belize and Cozumel and sticking close to the beach or ship for Grand Cayman, Mahogany Bay. You can get excursions in port. Join your roll Call for tips

12) We love nature, natural, sticking to ourselves and non crowded. Is this even going to be possible??? We usualy enjoy state parks, hikes and such at home. You can do a research on other boards

13) is it worth paying for beach excursions/ private cabanas etc? Worth for us. Depends on your interests

14) The tipping thing, I didn't know it was a thing until today. So they will auto bill you $13? Per Day, Per Person? or can we change this amount? I prefer to tip based on actual service and not "suggested guidelines" Times 4 people x 7 days adds up quick and we are very easy keepers. Most prefer to maintain this

15) Weather in December? Still expect hot and warm weather? What about on board? Does it run on the cold side with the AC? It's a tropical weather

16) How "really" crowded is it going to be on board? Are we actually going to be able to get in the pools and stuff or is it always full? Do you have to wait for a space at dinner? Where are some good quite places to be on board? Get to the dining room early, or chose the set dining time

I am a total introvert so this whole "people" thing is a nerve wracking thing. But I want to push the boundaries and try new things, new foods, new places and most importantly have a fun, great, once in a lifetime adventure with our family.

This is all i can currently think of! I will also keep reading both Carnival and Cruisecritic pages!

Thank you for any answers to help ease my mind!

Comments in red.

Hello! I've been reading a bunch of other posts until my eyes are blurry so I'm trying to see if I can sum up all my questions in one post. Some are dumber then others LOL but I really like to know what to expect and my family expects me to do all the planning and I feel the pressure from them and from my bank account!

This is our first cruise. First time off the east coast mainland, never been to Florida either,

Soo....

1)Are you allowed to decorate your cabin? We are going the week before Christmas and I had the idea to bring a small tree that would pack down into a small box with our luggage. Then we could pop it up in our hotel room as well. First time away from home at Christmas.

Yes.

2) Will the ship itself be decorated at all for the holidays? Should we expect holiday events/activities ?

Yes.

3) I see about the soda drinks, we are allowed 1, 12 pack of cans per person. Can we buy more at our port of calls?

I don't think so - if soda is allowed it typically would be at embarkation. Maybe others will know.

4) Is drinking the water from the faucet ok or should we stick with bottled water? We usually drink bottled at home and add those little flavor packets to them.

Ship water is perfectly safe - it is what the crew drinks every week.

5)We are no alcohol people, just don't like it, don't wanna be involved with it. No partying clubbing etc. Is this going to be a bummer on the trip? Will we have trouble finding non drinking people/activities?

There are no activities that rely on drinking. No problem if you don't drink. Personal choice.

6)Do we have to check our bags or can we take them to the cabin ourselves?

Best to check your bags. Most staterooms are not accessible until 1:00 or so - very difficult to manage luggage until then. Besides, terminal security is like that of an airport and large bags will not fit through the scanners at boarding.

7)We have a 12:30-1 check in time. Do we need to be inline before 12:30 or arrive at 12:30? We are flying in the day before and want to get on board and squared away as soon as we can.

Most check in times are recommendations and not enforced. We always arrive at the pier between 10:00 - 10:30 to get on as early as possible. Embarkation day is day 1 - enjoy it on board.

8)Getting to the dock, whats the closest Rental car place nearby?

What port? Why not use Uber?

9) How really hard is tendering, getting off and back onboard? Time wise?

Tendering is not hard - just not as fast as docking at a pier. The tenders will run continuosly.

10)My husband wants to stick with any cruise booked excursions to be safe and worry free. Is this really the best route?

Personal choice but as a first timer it may be the easiest. But we never book ship excursions. But the ship will not wait for you if you are late returning from a non-ship sponsored excursion.

11) Excursions are so expensive! I was thinking doing them on Belize and Cozumel and sticking close to the beach or ship for Grand Cayman, Mahogany Bay.

 

Check the ports of call board on CC for ideas. The beach ideas are fine in those ports of call.

12) We love nature, natural, sticking to ourselves and non crowded. Is this even going to be possible??? We usualy enjoy state parks, hikes and such at home.

 

Most ports of call have more than one ship in port at a time. Crowds will be difficult to avoid but will be manageable. Just go with the flow.

 

13) is it worth paying for beach excursions/ private cabanas etc?

Beach excursions, no, not IMO. Cabana's - up to you and your budget.

14) The tipping thing, I didn't know it was a thing until today. So they will auto bill you $13? Per Day, Per Person? or can we change this amount? I prefer to tip based on actual service and not "suggested guidelines" Times 4 people x 7 days adds up quick and we are very easy keepers.

Leave the gratuities in place and do not pay less. The houskeeping and dining crew depends on this as a major part of their income and work hard for it. Pay more, in fact, if the service warrants it. This is a cruise industry standard and should be considered part of your cruise expense.

15) Weather in December? Still expect hot and warm weather? What about on board? Does it run on the cold side with the AC?

Weather will be hot. AC works find and is controlable.

16) How "really" crowded is it going to be on board? Are we actually going to be able to get in the pools and stuff or is it always full? Do you have to wait for a space at dinner? Where are some good quite places to be on board?

Depends on the ship but certain venues are crowded - pools for instatance. You will have a tabel at dinner - no issues. There are lots of quiet placs on board - do some exploring.

I am a total introvert so this whole "people" thing is a nerve wracking thing. But I want to push the boundaries and try new things, new foods, new places and most importantly have a fun, great, once in a lifetime adventure with our family.

This is all i can currently think of! I will also keep reading both Carnival and Cruisecritic pages!

Thank you for any answers to help ease my mind!

See my answers in red. Enjoy your cruise!

Thanks so much! I honestly feel better already! Back to excited and not as nervous! :D

You have gotten terrific answers.

I just wanted to add for other questions about the Glory that the Carnival Cruise Line Board is a fantastic source of information.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=215

Keith

I wanted to weigh in on the gratuities and luggage.

I've been on two cruises so far and carried my luggage on. Unless you have those giant bags that I could fit myself into, it's not that cumbersome to take them with you if your room's not ready yet. If you get stuck in a line at check-in, or arrive later than planned, your room will probably be ready when you board. When you check it, it gets delivered to outside your door for anyone to possibly take (though it's not a common occurrence), and you don't get it till later that evening/afternoon. Make sure to have your soda in hand, not in your checked luggage, if you do decide to check it. I more strongly suggest you carry it off. There is no one making sure the right people are taking the bags which are kind of just left out in the open before you have a chance to get to the retrieval spot.

Gratuities: I am happy to see the other responders were in agreement with me that you should leave them on. You are able to lower them, but you shouldn't because they go to more than just servers and housekeeping and you cant do something like remove the mount that goes to housekeeping and tip as you go, because lowering it lowers all tips. I usually tip another $1 per person at dinner when in the Dining room. This is the breakdown according to CCL per day:

Housekeeping Team: $4.05 ($5.05 for suites)

Dining Team: $6.40

Alternative Services: $2.50

So, yes it adds up, but at least for dining, it's way less than if you ate out for 3 meals a day on land.

If you're interested in more reading, I have blog posts about my Carnival Vista trip last year, my packing list, and Carnival cruise tips:

http://laurenofalltrades.blogspot.com/2017/03/on-a-boat.html

http://laurenofalltrades.blogspot.com/2017/10/cruise-packing-list.html

http://laurenofalltrades.blogspot.com/2017/10/carnival-cruise-tips.html

H

1)Are you allowed to decorate your cabin? We are going the week before Christmas and I had the idea to bring a small tree that would pack down into a small box with our luggage. Then we could pop it up in our hotel room as well. First time away from home at Christmas. yes. but no tape on any of the walls. the doors and bulkheads are probably magnetic/metal.

2) Will the ship itself be decorated at all for the holidays? Should we expect holiday events/activities ? yes

3) I see about the soda drinks, we are allowed 1, 12 pack of cans per person. Can we buy more at our port of calls? no

4) Is drinking the water from the faucet ok or should we stick with bottled water? We usually drink bottled at home and add those little flavor packets to them. the on board tap water is perfectly safe to drink and in some cases may be purer than whatever brand of bottled you are used to. some people INSIST that their ankles swell if they drink the trap water. you can always bring a personal bottle with a built in filter. however you may NOT fill those directly from he public dispensers. you would need to put it in a regular glass then transfer form there

5)We are no alcohol people, just don't like it, don't wanna be involved with it. No partying clubbing etc. Is this going to be a bummer on the trip? Will we have trouble finding non drinking people/activities? plenty of people do not drink alcohol. if you want to listen to a band or whatever that is in a lounge, they will ask you once if you want a drink then leave you alone. but the pool bars especially will attract the party crowds

6)Do we have to check our bags or can we take them to the cabin ourselves? if it cannot fit through he same size scanner as the airports use, it must be checked. it will be delivered typically by the time muster is over in most cases, the cabins are not accessible until 1 pm anyway

7)We have a 12:30-1 check in time. Do we need to be inline before 12:30 or arrive at 12:30? We are flying in the day before and want to get on board and squared away as soon as we can. the check in times are just a suggestion. check in usually starts around 9 am and boarding no later than noon in most cases.

8)Getting to the dock, whats the closest Rental car place nearby?

9) How really hard is tendering, getting off and back onboard? Time wise? too many variables. if seas are rough, or the tide is in/out, the steps can be very steep. you must be back on board 30 minutes prior to scheduled departure, keeping in mind that ship time may not correspond to island time.

10)My husband wants to stick with any cruise booked excursions to be safe and worry free. Is this really the best route? nothing wrong with that at all. some ports do not need excursions at all though.

11) Excursions are so expensive! I was thinking doing them on Belize and Cozumel and sticking close to the beach or ship for Grand Cayman, Mahogany Bay. your best bet is to research ahead of time what you want to do, then shop around.

12) We love nature, natural, sticking to ourselves and non crowded. Is this even going to be possible??? We usualy enjoy state parks, hikes and such at home. quite honestly.. don't count on it. if there are many ships in port at the same time, it will be packed. the ship itself may have a few out of the way spots that are quiet, but the main pu lic areas( poolside, e tc) will usually be packed

13) is it worth paying for beach excursions/ private cabanas etc? meh. we think beach days are stupid, but we are old, no kids and redheaded.

14) The tipping thing, I didn't know it was a thing until today. So they will auto bill you $13? Per Day, Per Person? or can we change this amount? I prefer to tip based on actual service and not "suggested guidelines" Times 4 people x 7 days adds up quick and we are very easy keepers. major hot topic. do yourself and the crew a favor: leave the auto tip IN PLACE. if you want to tip extra in cash, by all means do so. but that fee covers a lot more than just the people you see every day. you will find that they earn it and then some.

15) Weather in December? Still expect hot and warm weather? What about on board? Does it run on the cold side with the AC? we always bring a light jacket or sweater for indoors especially in the Dining room.

16) How "really" crowded is it going to be on board? Are we actually going to be able to get in the pools and stuff or is it always full? Do you have to wait for a space at dinner? Where are some good quite places to be on board? sea days the pools and to tubs are crowded all day long until dinner. port days they empty. many ships have begin closing them all off as early as 9 pm now. as for dining.. if you have fixed seating( early ro late) your table is held for you. if you have flexible dining, there might be a wait if you go at peak times or want to eat with just your group.

I am a total introvert so this whole "people" thing is a nerve wracking thing. But I want to push the boundaries and try new things, new foods, new places and most importantly have a fun, great, once in a lifetime adventure with our family.

This is all i can currently think of! I will also keep reading both Carnival and Cruisecritic pages!

Thank you for any answers to help ease my mind!

frankly, Carnival has a reputation for being the party ships. they have become more family friendly, but their cheap prices attract the type of people who want to start their vacation the second they get on board and do not stop until its time to get off. if the cruise is under 7 days long, this will be even more prevalent. if you have booked a cabin with balcony, that will be your refuge. if not, there will always be somewhere that is quiet, indoors or out, but you may have to hunt.

A correction to previous posters:

Check in times on Carnival are enforced. If you arrive at the terminal before the assigned/chosen time, they will check your boarding pass and not allow you inside the terminal. However, you may arrive later than your time and go right in. EM

Decorating Your Stateroom Door and Stateroom

Published 11/10/2015 02:19 PM | Updated 08/10/2017 05:27 PM

We recognize some of our guests like to decorate their staterooms and we, too, love seeing your creative decorations. However, for safety reasons, we must ask that you abide by the following guidelines for decorating your stateroom dooras well as the interior of your stateroom.

In the interest of guest and crew safety, the following stateroom decoration policies will be instituted and strictly enforced:

• Decorations may consist only of fire retardant materials. Please note that items sprayed with fire retardant spray are not acceptable
  
• Decorations may only be placed on the stateroom door and not the surrounding frame, walls or railings
  
• You may use magnets or Command Strips but no adhesives such as tape or glue.
  
• Over-the-door hanging organizers must hang inside the stateroom, must also be of fire retardant material and cannot damage the door
  
• No decorations of any kind are allowed on balconies
  
• No decorations or items may be placed over light fittings or fixtures. This may restrict the airflow and cause the item to ignite
  
• No string lights of any kind are allowed
  

For the safety of all guests and crew, any decorations not made of fire retardant material or deemed flammable, will be removed and no compensation will be provided.

Stateroom decorations purchased via our Fun Shops online are made of fire retardant materials. For more information, please visit www.carnival.com/funshops if you are interested in making a purchase.

Where can I find flame retardant decorations?

For your convenience, we offer flame retardant decorations on our website at www.carnival.com/funshops. You can also check at your local party decorations stores or online but it is important to ensure the materials are truly flame retardant and to remember that items sprayed with fire retardant spray are not acceptable.

This policy seems extreme. Carnival is taking away something I/my family really enjoy. Why is this necessary?

These new requirements are being mandated by our operational safety experts. Decorations not made of fire retardant material can pose a fire hazard. We want all of our guests who enjoy decorating their doors and staterooms to be able to continue to do so but it is imperative that guest and crew safety be given top priority. We very much appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

What if a guest is upset because the sku/decorations received are a different design than what they purchased?

We will offer a refund or CruiseCash for the purchase price as needed. Our Retail Assistant Managers will manage the refund process per our normal retail refund procedure.

Embarkation - Luggage Information

Published 03/11/2015 10:43 PM | Updated 10/24/2017 10:36 AM

Luggage Information

To help you plan, we suggest you limit your luggage to a maximum of one bag per person, if traveling on cruises of 3-5 days duration, and no more than two bags per person, for cruises of 6 days or longer. In addition, you must personally carry-on any boarding documentation (passports, Visas, I.D), valuables, medications and items which require special handling.

Guests who are scheduled to arrive at the terminal before 1:30 PM, usually check their bags with a porter so they can be free to enjoy lunch on Lido Deck before access to their stateroom is granted.

Checked baggage service is only available until 2 hours before the ship's published departure time. Guests arriving after this time will be responsible for taking their bags on board.

Each checked suit case and carry-on suit case should not weigh more than 50 pounds, and when lying flat, bags must not exceed 16 inches high by 24 inches wide (the length of the bag is not a factor). For security screening purposes, all luggage should be unlocked. Oversized luggage and locked luggage may cause delivery delays.

Personalized luggage tags are included in the guest’s Electronic Documents, through Carnival’s web portal, www.carnival.com/mydocuments. It is not necessary to print the tags in color.

Carnival luggage tags must be affixed to your baggage prior to arriving at the terminal. Additional tags can be obtained at curbside from the porter. Porters will re-tag any luggage tag with a TBA cabin assignment.

Curbside porters are customarily provided a $1 tip per bag. They are not employees of Carnival and should a guest experiences any problems, they must report it to porter management on site.

Since the screening and movement of large coolers through embarkation is an impediment to the boarding and security screening process, large coolers are not permitted as carry-on or checked luggage. Small, personal-sized coolers, no larger than 12 inches x 12 inches x 12 inches, for the purpose of housing small quantities of non-alcoholic beverages and/or medications are permitted as carry-on luggage.

Carnival's Shore Excursion Program

Published 08/11/2015 05:19 PM | Updated 07/07/2017 02:03 PM

Visiting our exotic ports of call is half the fun of going on a Fun Ship cruise and we offer optional shore excursions at every port. Participating in a shore excursion is the best way to ensure our guests get the most out of their visit to each port-of-call.

Shore excursions may be booked online prior to sailing up until the Pre-Sail cut-off time, 11:30pm ET the evening prior to the cruise departure. Excursions for 2018 sail dates are available for purchase. For 2019 sail dates, please check back in the Spring of 2018.

Shore excursions can also be purchased onboard. Each Carnival ship has a dedicated Shore Excursion Desk with highly trained and experienced staff members who can recommend particular excursions and answer any questions guests may have.

All of the excursions we offer are backed by our Shore Excursion Best Price Guarantee. The only one of its kind in the cruise industry, the program provides a 110% refund in the form of a shipboard credit should consumers find a better price on a comparable excursion, providing much-needed peace of mind knowing that they’re getting the best price. For details about this, click here.

With Carnival’s onboard lounge tour dispatch system, tour operators come onboard to meet shore excursion participants and tours depart from a shipboard venue versus the previous method of tour operators assembling large groups of guests on the pier, thus providing a more streamlined, organized and expedited departure. Carnival is the only cruise operator in the Caribbean to have local tour operators involved with this enhanced service option.

Shore Excursion Best Price Guarantee

Published 03/11/2015 10:03 PM | Updated 03/21/2016 04:18 PM

Guests sailing on a Carnival cruise who book a shore excursion through us can be completely confident they are getting the best price and best value with the introduction of a new shore excursion best price guarantee. The only guarantee of its kind in the cruise industry, the program is now available fleet wide for all Carnival Cruise Lines shore tours on ships sailing from North America.

Under the best price guarantee, guests who find the same tour offered by another operator at a lower price than their booked excursion either before or during their cruise will be eligible to receive 110% of the difference in the form of a shipboard credit.

How it Works: The guarantee is available for excursions booked prior to or during a cruise. If guests pre-book an excursion, then find a comparable tour advertised online at a lower price, they can complete an online form up to seven days prior to the cruise to invoke the guarantee. Guests can also complete a form during the cruise either before or after their excursion has taken place. Claims are typically processed within 24-48 hours.

Benefits of Booking Through Carnival: Guests who book their excursion through Carnival enjoy the convenience of having shore excursion tickets delivered to their stateroom, 24/7 access to shipboard staff to answer questions and obtain assistance, and an assurance that they will receive a refund or the excursion time will be adjusted as needed based on weather or other issues affecting a ship's scheduled port of call visit. Additionally, ongoing communication between tour operators and shipboard staff ensures that the cruise line is aware and can make necessary changes to a ship's departure time when a tour is running late or unexpected circumstances arise.

The best price guarantee is applicable to shore excursion matches on the same date as the tour purchased from Carnival.

Awesome thanks for every answer! I've been looking at YouTube videos of the ship and that's been really helpful also. The more I read the more relaxed I feel. Anxiety sucks! :o

Awesome thanks for every answer! I've been looking at YouTube videos of the ship and that's been really helpful also. The more I read the more relaxed I feel. Anxiety sucks! :o

2) Will the ship itself be decorated at all for the holidays? Should we expect holiday events/activities ?

Yup, here's a video from when I sailed on the Glory in December, hopefully it gives you an idea what to expect with out totally spoiling it for you ;)

[YOUTUBE]ZAdHhoaqYKs[/YOUTUBE]

6)Do we have to check our bags or can we take them to the cabin ourselves?

You can do either but personally I'd recommend taking them yourself if you are physically able. I had a bad experience once that wasted a fair bit of time on my first day when I was on the Carnival Triumph

[YOUTUBE]OSta9SErtao[/YOUTUBE]

About Gratuities. I’ve talked to a steward in the past and he told me they don’t really receive gratuities unless someone pays cash. Just going by what he said since I know some people will be triggered by that. Since then, I always plan on paying tips with cash directly to the steward and waitstaff. If you want to do that, all you have to do is talk to guest services when you get on board and tell them that you want to pay gratuity using cash and they will take off the automatic tip charged to your card. Have a great trip!

A few new questions!

We will be staying 2 extra days before and after and will be getting a rental car.

Can we drop the luggage off at the boat and then return the car and then shuttle or Uber back to the boat? Or is it easier to just drop the car off and load the luggage to the shuttle?

Rental car wise...I've only used airport drop off/pickup but I see a lot of them have neighborhood locations but not the best reviews online. I just want it to be easy, no stress!!!!! Would dropping off/picking up at Miami Airport with using Uber to port be easier. Im more nervous about picking up the car after we get back. I dont want to spend hours clogged in line with other passengers.

How long does it take to get off the boat? Or how long can you stay on? Would Ubering to a not as close rental location help solve this? We plan on heading south to the everglades after we disembark.

As always! Thanks!!

A few new questions!

 

We will be staying 2 extra days before and after and will be getting a rental car.

Can we drop the luggage off at the boat and then return the car and then shuttle or Uber back to the boat? Or is it easier to just drop the car off and load the luggage to the shuttle?

 

Rental car wise...I've only used airport drop off/pickup but I see a lot of them have neighborhood locations but not the best reviews online. I just want it to be easy, no stress!!!!! Would dropping off/picking up at Miami Airport with using Uber to port be easier. Im more nervous about picking up the car after we get back. I dont want to spend hours clogged in line with other passengers.

How long does it take to get off the boat? Or how long can you stay on? Would Ubering to a not as close rental location help solve this? We plan on heading south to the everglades after we disembark.

 

As always! Thanks!!

Do self debarkation, and you'll be off right away. The airport locations have a lot of staff, and get you through the line quickly. We would do the airport again anytime.

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Hello! I've been reading a bunch of other posts until my eyes are blurry so I'm trying to see if I can sum up all my questions in one post. Some are dumber then others LOL but I really like to know what to expect and my family expects me to do all the planning and I feel the pressure from them and from my bank account!

This is our first cruise. First time off the east coast mainland, never been to Florida either,

Soo....

1)Are you allowed to decorate your cabin? We are going the week before Christmas and I had the idea to bring a small tree that would pack down into a small box with our luggage. Then we could pop it up in our hotel room as well. First time away from home at Christmas.

 

** You can, but there is not a lot of space for even a small tree.

 

2) Will the ship itself be decorated at all for the holidays? Should we expect holiday events/activities ?

 

**Yes, there are holiday decorations and some holiday activities.

 

3) I see about the soda drinks, we are allowed 1, 12 pack of cans per person. Can we buy more at our port of calls?

 

**Yes

 

4) Is drinking the water from the faucet ok or should we stick with bottled water? We usually drink bottled at home and add those little flavor packets to them.

 

**Faucet water tastes fine, but we like the bottles water, less salt so my feet swell less.

 

5)We are no alcohol people, just don't like it, don't wanna be involved with it. No partying clubbing etc. Is this going to be a bummer on the trip? Will we have trouble finding non drinking people/activities?

 

**Nope, I hardly drink and have no problems. Try the piano bar for the sing a longs :)

 

6)Do we have to check our bags or can we take them to the cabin ourselves?

 

**If you can manage them, you can carry them on, however your rooms are not available until 1:30, so you will be hauling around whatever you brought on with you until then.

 

7)We have a 12:30-1 check in time. Do we need to be inline before 12:30 or arrive at 12:30? We are flying in the day before and want to get on board and squared away as soon as we can.

 

**Arrive at 12:30, they won't let you in before then.

 

8)Getting to the dock, whats the closest Rental car place nearby?

 

**I would recommend the airport rental locations. They are staffed for high volume and you get in and out much more quickly.

 

9) How really hard is tendering, getting off and back onboard? Time wise?

 

**Depends on the port. Half Moon Cay is no problem, other ports are more trouble.

 

10)My husband wants to stick with any cruise booked excursions to be safe and worry free. Is this really the best route?

 

**Depends on the excursion. We did the Waterfalls in Dominican Republic on our own, if you are doing ruins in Mexico then the Carnival excursion is better since they are long excursions and regularly get back late.

 

11) Excursions are so expensive! I was thinking doing them on Belize and Cozumel and sticking close to the beach or ship for Grand Cayman, Mahogany Bay.

12) We love nature, natural, sticking to ourselves and non crowded. Is this even going to be possible??? We usualy enjoy state parks, hikes and such at home.

 

**If you want not crowded you will need to branch out from Carnival excursions.

 

13) is it worth paying for beach excursions/ private cabanas etc?

 

**Depends on the port. Check the specific port you are think of.

 

14) The tipping thing, I didn't know it was a thing until today. So they will auto bill you $13? Per Day, Per Person? or can we change this amount? I prefer to tip based on actual service and not "suggested guidelines" Times 4 people x 7 days adds up quick and we are very easy keepers.

 

**The tips also go to behind the scenes people who are still providing service (like laundry and kitchen staff) Please do not stiff these people by removing them.

 

15) Weather in December? Still expect hot and warm weather? What about on board? Does it run on the cold side with the AC?

 

**It definitely gets cold on board, take a sweater! Weather on land should still be summer weather.

 

16) How "really" crowded is it going to be on board? Are we actually going to be able to get in the pools and stuff or is it always full? Do you have to wait for a space at dinner? Where are some good quite places to be on board?

 

**As with any vacation, going at off peak times will help, if you want to get a seat at 12:30 at the pool, you will have problems. 10:00? Not so much.

 

I am a total introvert so this whole "people" thing is a nerve wracking thing. But I want to push the boundaries and try new things, new foods, new places and most importantly have a fun, great, once in a lifetime adventure with our family.

This is all i can currently think of! I will also keep reading both Carnival and Cruisecritic pages!

Thank you for any answers to help ease my mind!

Sent from my XT1254 using Forums mobile app

A few new questions!

 

We will be staying 2 extra days before and after and will be getting a rental car.

Can we drop the luggage off at the boat and then return the car and then shuttle or Uber back to the boat? Or is it easier to just drop the car off and load the luggage to the shuttle?

 

Rental car wise...I've only used airport drop off/pickup but I see a lot of them have neighborhood locations but not the best reviews online. I just want it to be easy, no stress!!!!! Would dropping off/picking up at Miami Airport with using Uber to port be easier. Im more nervous about picking up the car after we get back. I dont want to spend hours clogged in line with other passengers.

How long does it take to get off the boat? Or how long can you stay on? Would Ubering to a not as close rental location help solve this? We plan on heading south to the everglades after we disembark.

 

As always! Thanks!!

Most of the rental car agencies have a free shuttle from the airport to the cruise port and vice versa with proof of rental/reservation. We had no issues loading the luggage onto the shuttle for the trip from the airport to the port.

Back on land! I plan on doing a full review of the cruise and all the excersions over the next couple days.

Thank you to everyone who helped me, on this post and the many others I read. I was well prepared and not nearly as nervous as I expected to be.

I'll answer my own questions from my experience now and do a full review in another post.

Welcome Home

Looking forward to your review.

BigBlue21629, welcome home and I look forward to your review.

Happy New Year.

Keith

Welcome home and Happy New Year.