Carnival Fantasy May 2016 to Key West & Cozumel

[AH1002]

Hi!! I'm new here and a first time cruiser. I've been searching the Internet and trying to find out as much as I possibly can before our trip. I took my first and only cruise back in 1998, I was about 11 years old, with Carnival but this is my first cruise experience as an adult. It seems like a lot of "rules" need to be followed and I'm trying to get prepared. My husband and I will be celebrating our 10th anniversary and he's never cruised. We just booked a few days ago to embark on May 30th for a 4 night cruise to Key West and Cozumel. We dont have time to get passports so we are taking birth certificates, drivers license, and marriage certificate. Obviously the documents provided online at booking we will take too. I really need advice or suggestions about the following:

1. Is this a good cruise? Anyone with experience with the ship, destinations, or traveling time please lend any information you are willing to share!

2. Will our documents be ok? I'm a bit nervous that we won't be able to get on or off the boat. Any chance I will run into problems or have to go to a special line to be processed?

3. I'm on a very strict budget, we dont drink or pLan on excursions, and I aim to pay under $1200. The cruise fare was $866, it's about $20 a night to park at the port in Miami, and I guessed maybe $10 in one dollar bills for tips with a five or ten for steward if service is good, and I'm aware of auto gratuities. Is there anything I'm missing?

4. We have been waitlisted for dining, but will we still be able to dine in the dining room or will we be "kicked out" of there's no room for us? (Seems silly but I have no idea)

 

Thank you so much for any responses! We are counting down the days and getting really excited for our first cruise!!!

[Clarea]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Since your cruise is a closed end cruise out of a US port (starts and ends in Miami), you should be fine with certified copies of your birth certificates and government issued photo IDs. The marriage certificate is also needed at a bridge document between the birth name and married name.

 

For the rest of your questions, I would post on the Carnival forum, where there will be more folks with experience on your ship that will see your questions:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=215

 

Bon Voyage!:)

Edited April 21, 2016 by clarea

[First and Ten]

Concerning question #4....everyone gets assigned a dining time. It's normally either Early Seating (around 6 pm), Late Seating. (Around 8 or 8:30 pm) or Anytime Dining (you pick when you want to go into the dining room). If, for example, you got assigned Late Seating, but wanted either Early or Anytime, you could be wait listed. No guarantees you will get your preference, but you won't be left without anything. Keep in mind, you don't have to go to the dining room for dinner. We have cruised many times and basically dined in the buffet for the entire trip....hope this helps, enjoy

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[AH1002]

Thank you both for taking the time to read that long post! :) I also copy/pasted in the aforementioned forum link- again thank you! I've been reading through some of the Fantasy posts so that has helped get a peer based perspective of the cruise. I can't believe it's only 38 days away! Aahhh!

[Sauer-kraut]

Your cruise should be a blast. Most short cruises have a very large party vibe, so enjoy yourselves, don't stress about little things and just go with the flow!

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

[Clarea]

Thank you both for taking the time to read that long post! :) I also copy/pasted in the aforementioned forum link- again thank you! I've been reading through some of the Fantasy posts so that has helped get a peer based perspective of the cruise. I can't believe it's only 38 days away! Aahhh!

You're welcome.:)

[cruiseonthebrain]

This sounds like a great choice for your first cruise! Don't forget to save a little money back for the awesome food at Blue Heaven in Key West!

[mamkmm2]

Did this very cruise on the Carnival Victory this passed August. Loved Key West, and we are from Florida. It isn't as wild as it has been in years passed but I am more than ok with that. Carnival is definitely a "party" ship and some of it was a little out there in terms of passenger behavior. Loud drunks in our hallway at all hours. Ugh. Be prepared and it won't bother you IF it happens. Each cruise is different because of the passengers.

[cruisin4Becky]

I have cruised this exact itenerary twice before. In fact I am doing it again on the Fantasy May 9! So all that will be left of mine is memories by the time you go. You will like this cruise a lot I think.

 

I adore Key West. There is a lot to see and do there. Its fun to just walk around and look at stuff and take pictures. Plenty of shops to pick up sovenirs,tons of places to eat yummy food and have a drink.

 

And Cozumel is awesome! You dont have to spend a lot to take an excursion. There is a nice plaza right at the end of the pier with shops,restaurants and some nice scenery and features. I love it. Last time I did take an excursion for about 40 dollars where I got to see the other side of the island that is not developed. We rode on a bus along the coast ,taking in the sights,and stopping at a chocolate factory, a tequila place where we got to sample tequila,and we stopped at a cute little roadside stand to look around,take pictures and buy souvenirs. I loved it. I hope you do decide to take an excursion away from the cruise port and see some of what Mexico has to offer. . Please if you have any questions about this cruise . post them and i will try and answer them. I have a lot of enthusiasm for cruising and really love this itenerary to be doing it for the third time, twice in less than a year

[cruiseonthebrain]

Did this very cruise on the Carnival Victory this passed August. Loved Key West, and we are from Florida. It isn't as wild as it has been in years passed but I am more than ok with that. Carnival is definitely a "party" ship and some of it was a little out there in terms of passenger behavior. Loud drunks in our hallway at all hours. Ugh. Be prepared and it won't bother you IF it happens. Each cruise is different because of the passengers.

 

We have cruised Carnival many times and somehow keep missing this "party boat". That will depend on the fellow passengers.

[mamkmm2]

We have cruised Carnival many times and somehow keep missing this "party boat". That will depend on the fellow passengers.

 

I've heard the same thing, but my experience with Carnival was of the "party ship." LOL. It may have been the itinerary. It may have been the other passengers. Who knows? But when I say drunks in the hallway at all hours I mean ALL hours, including three in the morning when a lot of them seem to be trying to make their way back to their own cabins. Nothing like hearing, "Hey! Somebody know where my cabin is?! I gotta take a p***!!" Several times until someone from another cabin got involved which finally got the ship personnel to intervene and help mister clueless to find his cabin. :rolleyes: