How to mix it up?

[dadof2boys]

Well my wife, me, and our 2 boys (2,4) are going on the Spirit next Sunday and it will be our 3rd time, same itinerary. While I am still excited, my wife seems a little over it, before we have even started it.

 

So, I am looking for ways to change it up a little, so that this trip will be great. The first thing that will be nice is that both kids are now old enough to visit Camp Carnival.

 

Here's what I have come up with so far:

Try things like cooking presentations

Get the martini tasting we always talk about and never do

Join the balcony club!?!

Wine pairing

Deck party (never been)

 

I also think that having the little splash area will give us something fun to do with the kiddos on our 2 sea days.

 

Any other suggestions or tips?

[hudakhoney]

I think you're well on your way to mixin' it up a bit! Even though my hubby & I tend to cruise on the same ship twice a year, we never get bored. It seems that each time we cruise we find new & different things to do. Neither of us can sing, but we ended up at karaoke and had a blast watching & singing along & made lots of new friends in the meantime!

Keep thinking creatively as you read the Fun Times...you'll come up with lots of ideas! Hoping you have a great time!!

[cathyz]

Well my wife, me, and our 2 boys (2,4) are going on the Spirit next Sunday and it will be our 3rd time, same itinerary. While I am still excited, my wife seems a little over it, before we have even started it.

 

So, I am looking for ways to change it up a little, so that this trip will be great. The first thing that will be nice is that both kids are now old enough to visit Camp Carnival.

 

Here's what I have come up with so far:

Try things like cooking presentations

Get the martini tasting we always talk about and never do

Join the balcony club!?!

Wine pairing

Deck party (never been)

 

I also think that having the little splash area will give us something fun to do with the kiddos on our 2 sea days.

 

Any other suggestions or tips?

We were on the 9 day Spirit last week and had a great time. The ship has been in dry dock since your last cruise and you'll find a whole new Serenity area at the aft pool/bar area and a whole new waterworks and huge 'green thunder' water slide. I'm sure you'll have a great time!

[mousey]

Try some new things that you haven't done before. The DH and I always try something new on every cruise we take. Some of the things I've tried, and I'm not very athletic, but I was over 50 when I tried them are:

 

Rock climbing...only made it half way up, but the DH and DS were very impressed.:D

 

Ziplining...not the easy kind, the one we went on in the Honduras has all kinds of wooden swings and rope bridges, and the finall kicker was that you had to rock climb over a high wall to get to the finish. With a little shove on the butt to get me over I did it...much to the total amazement of the DH and DS and the people that ran the venue. My DH said I didn't hear her, but as I had walked away from the entrance the lady that had taken our tickets had said, "She'll never make it!":eek:

 

On our upcoming cruise we're going to do an excusion that includes riding to our destination in a high speed boat, hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, snorkeling, and just kicking back in a hamock!:D Can't wait!

[Banditswife]

Try some new things that you haven't done before. The DH and I always try something new on every cruise we take. Some of the things I've tried, and I'm not very athletic, but I was over 50 when I tried them are:

 

Rock climbing...only made it half way up, but the DH and DS were very impressed.:D

 

Ziplining...not the easy kind, the one we went on in the Honduras has all kinds of wooden swings and rope bridges, and the finall kicker was that you had to rock climb over a high wall to get to the finish. With a little shove on the butt to get me over I did it...much to the total amazement of the DH and DS and the people that ran the venue. My DH said I didn't hear her, but as I had walked away from the entrance the lady that had taken our tickets had said, "She'll never make it!":eek:

 

On our upcoming cruise we're going to do an excusion that includes riding to our destination in a high speed boat, hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, snorkeling, and just kicking back in a hamock!:D Can't wait!

You go girl. You showed em didn't ya:D

[H82seaUgo]

same ship, same itinerary on carnival? that's hard, cause you can do multple ships and come up with the same ole same ole. dioing the same ship, you risk having the same cd with the same entertainment and shows. in fact, we still hear almost the same "script" we heard on our first cruise in the mid 80's.

 

but this did happen to us once on carnival. we just backed off from going to all the organised activities, and found a whole new subculture of others that do the same thing. it was our mosr relaxing cruise.

 

on rccl, we did the same ship to the same location 4 years in a row. it was different experience each time. in fact, it took us 3 times to feel we explored everything the ship had to offer.

[dadof2boys]

Thanks for the suggestions. We dont usually do much of the organized activities, but I think that this time we just need to give them a try, even if it doesnt sound like something we would enjoy, who knows?

 

Also, H82SEAUGO brought up something I hadnt thought of before. We have had the same cruise director the last two trips, so maybe things will be different with Stu?

[golfadj]

Try trivia games and serenity area

[jaded99]

A word of warning on the martini tasting... unless you request otherwise, they are made with Finlandia vodka... and holy hangover, Batman.

[dadof2boys]

A word of warning on the martini tasting... unless you request otherwise, they are made with Finlandia vodka... and holy hangover, Batman.

 

I dont have words to express my thanks for the heads up!

[chadsjewel]

We killed an hour at the art auction twice. It was mainly because we were super sunburned and needed to chill out. Pretty paintings and pictures that we could never afford, along with some that we could. We actually won 4 hangings that worked out to $8 and change each unframed LOL. Theyre nice and after framing will give one to the MIL. Its a spiel to sell you stuff but dont buy it lol.

 

We are def doing the martini tasting in Sept on the Magic and thank you to a PP who warned of the hangover. I can try to ward it off. ;)

 

Stu was a pretty good cruise director, until disembarkation, which was just an unruly, crazy mess. He has a good sense of humor and didnt bombard us with sales pitches. He always announced the activities.

 

Heres something you can do. Make a game out of trying to secure a clamshell on Serenity deck one morning! We never did get one lol. There are also very comfortable chairs in the shade there, near the bar, for reading or people watching. The one hot tub is simply not enough but oh well, it was great fun anyway. Oh, and that hot tub is much hotter than the ones on Lido that allow children.

 

The pool on Lido was so warm while we were in Cabo, I think because the cover was halfway closed.

 

We are going to hit the nightclubs and try trivia in September!

[cruisenanny]

Yes, definitely go to the steakhouse coking demo (you get adorable little samples of everything) and then try a romantic dinner in the steakhouse one night the kids are at camp. Reserve online before you cruise or soon after you board, it you decide to do it. Well worth the extra $30pp!

[Excited7]

My husband and I just got back this week from the Inspiration. We LOVED the Chefs Table. Totally worth the money if you can swing it!

[cruisenanny]

Also the "behind the scenes" tour could be fun..