First Time cruiser Carnival paradise Jan 2014

[melly_c]

My husband and I are going on our first cruise this coming Jan to Cozumel and Grand Caymans. I am still trying to navigate the in's and out's of cruising. I am in need of any tips and tricks to make the most of our time and save money. Little known facts, what things are must see, specific tid bits about our ship (Carnival Paradise) etc. For example, we don't drink alcohol but I am addicted to fancy, frozen, fun non-alcoholic drinks. Is there a cheaper way of satisfying my guilty pleasure than just paying out the nose at the bar? What is included with your meals drinks wise and what are you charged for? Is a soda card worth it? How do you get one?Can you order anything besides water with room service without being charged? Lots of silly drink questions I know, but it's seriously is an addiction :) Is there anything free in the spa? Like a sauna? Excursion reccommendations? Are the Mayan ruins worth the full 7 hrs of your time in Cozumel? Been trying to research all of these things and am making very little progress. HELP!!

[firstcruiseever]

My husband and I are going on our first cruise this coming Jan to Cozumel and Grand Caymans. I am still trying to navigate the in's and out's of cruising. I am in need of any tips and tricks to make the most of our time and save money. Little known facts, what things are must see, specific tid bits about our ship (Carnival Paradise) etc. For example, we don't drink alcohol but I am addicted to fancy, frozen, fun non-alcoholic drinks. Is there a cheaper way of satisfying my guilty pleasure than just paying out the nose at the bar? What is included with your meals drinks wise and what are you charged for? Is a soda card worth it? How do you get one?Can you order anything besides water with room service without being charged? Lots of silly drink questions I know, but it's seriously is an addiction :) Is there anything free in the spa? Like a sauna? Excursion reccommendations? Are the Mayan ruins worth the full 7 hrs of your time in Cozumel? Been trying to research all of these things and am making very little progress. HELP!!

 

Bring a mixed drink mix with you that you can add water too, and make a sweet drink on the rocks when you are feeling particularly in need of a sweet drink (they have powder mixes that are good :)

 

I bought a virgin pina colada on our trip once last time and honestly wish I hadn't, because it was not that good. It was one of those nasty pre mixed ones. They do have a sauna in the spa and they sometimes have showers and jacuzzi areas for adults.

 

I would pay to see the Mayan Ruins. Once in a lifetime opportunity. And also on Grand Caymans, I would highly recommend Moby Dick Tours. It is cheap, and WONDERFUL. It is pretty much a private tour through sting ray city and snorkeling on the reef. The guys that own it are awesome. Very reputable on Travelocity. Had a blast. They let you feed the rays and get in the water with you. Always less than 30-40 people. DH and I were two of a total of 8 last time which was amazing!

 

We never needed extra drink in the MDR or anything. DH got a hot chocolate after dinner everyday thanks to an awesome waiter who waited on him hand and foot (while flirting shamelessly with him LOL) DH didn't know the waiter was flirting with him till the last day. I didn't want to ruin it for him so I told him on the last day AFTER dinner. He laughed about it a bit after I told him and thought it was quite funny he hadn't noticed.

 

You can get juice, hot chocolate, milk and water in room service, without being charged. We packed half flat of water bottles though, and never needed anything. You can pack soda with you as well. Check carnival's site for specifics. If you want to, DH and I pack sparkling apple cider once. There is also a fully non-alcoholic wine (we call it Mormon wine LOL) that you may find at Walmart. It is called FRE and is very good :) They have a process that burns out the alcohol while maintaining a lot of the flavor of the wine. That is always a treat. They have a sparkling Brut that is delicious. If you can't afford the Cozumel excursion, don't worry! Bring SNORKEL GEAR! Cozumel has some of the most beautiful waters for scuba and snorkel. Just find a beach and snorkel. FREE EXCURSION :) If you have any other questions feel free to ask! I would LOVE to help. Hope this helps a bit.

[mosaic_mom]

My husband and I are going on our first cruise this coming Jan to Cozumel and Grand Caymans. I am still trying to navigate the in's and out's of cruising. I am in need of any tips and tricks to make the most of our time and save money. Little known facts, what things are must see, specific tid bits about our ship (Carnival Paradise) etc. For example, we don't drink alcohol but I am addicted to fancy, frozen, fun non-alcoholic drinks. Is there a cheaper way of satisfying my guilty pleasure than just paying out the nose at the bar? What is included with your meals drinks wise and what are you charged for? Is a soda card worth it? How do you get one?Can you order anything besides water with room service without being charged? Lots of silly drink questions I know, but it's seriously is an addiction :) Is there anything free in the spa? Like a sauna? Excursion reccommendations? Are the Mayan ruins worth the full 7 hrs of your time in Cozumel? Been trying to research all of these things and am making very little progress. HELP!!

 

 

Your questions aren't silly. This is a great place to ask them. We were all first-time cruisers at one point.

 

There really is no cheaper way to get the frozen fancy drinks cheaper that I know of. I think iced tea and water and some juices are included free with meals and you can get them anytime on Lido deck at the buffet area. When you board, you can get a soda card at any bar and at a table near the pool. Some people wait until you are out to sea to get it to not pay taxes on the soda card.

 

There isn't a charge for room service, but you should give them a tip. You can get juice, coffee, tea, and water for no charge.

 

Try doing a search of the boards here using Paradise, and you will find a lot of information. We are going on Paradise on Dec 5, and we have found a lot of nice pictures of the ship and lots of information to fuel our excitement for our upcoming cruise.

 

I hope you enjoy your first cruise !! Soon, you will probably be addicted to cruising like the rest of us. :)

[afergvip]

My husband and I are going on our first cruise this coming Jan to Cozumel and Grand Caymans. I am still trying to navigate the in's and out's of cruising. I am in need of any tips and tricks to make the most of our time and save money. Little known facts, what things are must see, specific tid bits about our ship (Carnival Paradise) etc. For example, we don't drink alcohol but I am addicted to fancy, frozen, fun non-alcoholic drinks. Is there a cheaper way of satisfying my guilty pleasure than just paying out the nose at the bar? What is included with your meals drinks wise and what are you charged for? Is a soda card worth it? How do you get one?Can you order anything besides water with room service without being charged? Lots of silly drink questions I know, but it's seriously is an addiction :) Is there anything free in the spa? Like a sauna? Excursion reccommendations? Are the Mayan ruins worth the full 7 hrs of your time in Cozumel? Been trying to research all of these things and am making very little progress. HELP!!

 

 

The Mango Tango is to die for and worth every cent you spend on it. It's a MUST DO! Tea, Lemonaid and water are included with your meal. Juice in the mornings. I dont drink too much soda so I dont mind paying $1.50 when I decide I want one. If you drink soda all the time then it's probably worth it. They are available on lido deck on embarkation day. You can't miss them.

I wouldnt spend 7 hours doing the ruins unless you are just a history buff and really want to see them. I personally prefer beaches over hot walking around looking at some concrete but I am definately NOT a history buff. I would go with Nachi Cocom or Mr. Sanchos in Cozumel and I personally HIGHLY recommend Stingray Sailing in the Caymans. We had an AMAZING day with them last year and wouldnt hesitate to book with them again.

Be sure to go to the dining room and have that experience for dinner. I love that experience each and every time it doesn't get old and food is good, the chocolate melting cake is a MUST DO! Just go with the flow and you will have a great time. Dont sweat the small stuff! Shows are ok, if its your first time cruising go to them it gives you something to do after dinner. I dont go to them anymore but I cruise 3 times a year so I'm over the shows for the most part.

Have a great time!! I will also be on the Paradise January 16th. When are you going?

[Colorado Kat]

The fancy non-alcoholic drinks are cheaper than the alcoholic ones. I don't recall exactly but reasonable.

 

If you want a beach day on Cozumel, check out Paradise Beach. It is pay-as-you-go, not AI (All-inclusive). AIs give you all the booze you can drink for one set price (and food). Paradise Beach has a nice beach, water toys, and a pool.

 

Read up on the Port of Call Section, ask questions, and have a wonderful cruise!

[carnival03]

My husband and I are going on our first cruise this coming Jan to Cozumel and Grand Caymans. I am still trying to navigate the in's and out's of cruising. I am in need of any tips and tricks to make the most of our time and save money. Little known facts, what things are must see, specific tid bits about our ship (Carnival Paradise) etc. For example, we don't drink alcohol but I am addicted to fancy, frozen, fun non-alcoholic drinks. Is there a cheaper way of satisfying my guilty pleasure than just paying out the nose at the bar? What is included with your meals drinks wise and what are you charged for? Is a soda card worth it? How do you get one?Can you order anything besides water with room service without being charged? Lots of silly drink questions I know, but it's seriously is an addiction :) Is there anything free in the spa? Like a sauna? Excursion reccommendations? Are the Mayan ruins worth the full 7 hrs of your time in Cozumel? Been trying to research all of these things and am making very little progress. HELP!!

 

The soda card is nice and I believe to be worth the money, if you drink a lot of soda. I personally don't care for the water from Carnival nor the tea. Lemonade is pretty good but you can't drink lemonade all week so the soda card is perfect! You can use it in the MDR for dinner also.

[SkyMaster]

"Paradise" is one of the VERY FEW Carnival ships that still offers the BIG SHOWS, as opposed to what is called, "Playlist Production" shows, so be sure to make the shows. I see you're from Utah, so especially if you enjoy Country Music, catch the show named "Eight More Seconds". It's excellent, even if you don't like Country. Cruise Director Steve Cassel plays the fiddle/violin, and does some outstanding numbers in that show.

Both big shows are very good, but "Eight More Seconds" is outstanding.

You can get iced tea, coffee, or water with dinner, with no additional charge. Be sure to try the HOT CHOCOLATE out of the machine on Lido Deck, at the buffet. It's GREAT, and once again, FREE. If you don't see the machine, just ask one of the folks in the buffet area, and they'll point it out to you.

Have a GREAT cruise. I'll be doing "Paradise" again on Nov 21st, and Dec 9th.

 

"SKY"