I Wish Someone Had Told Me On My First Carnival Cruise.....

[bnorris10]

I am going on my first cruise in may, we booked at a travel agent and paid in full 2 weeks ago. We also paid for gratuities and travel insurance. The agent charged us the same price that was on the carnival website. My question is when i look on the carnival website now the price is a few hundred dollars less, is it possible to get a refund for the difference?

 

You only get the difference in the form of OBC if you booked the Early Saver Rate

[teknoge3k]

Pack a power strip.

Matches for freshening the bathroom.

Clorox wipes. I wipe down all of the handles, knobs, remotes in the room.

If you're a reader, download your books to your e reader before you leave

Take a pic of your parking spot at the port (or airport ) so you remember your spot

 

Actually there are a lot of apps for this, such as Find My Car. ;)

[klbreezer]

What parts? Whenever I looked for rooms it kept asking front mid or back and to me it makes no difference! We did RC last year through my husband's work so we didn't get a choice on room. They booked it, paid for it, and we were happy with what we got because it was FREE! We were on the 5th floor front and it was just fine for us. I can't remember where we are this coming trip. I know 8th floor, I think towards the front. I guess I didn't realize it mattered! Insight please!

Midship cabins are where you will feel the least motion.

[Shaded Lady]

I wish I'd know to bring Febreeze spray for the bathroom. No explanation needed!:cool:

 

I have a small plastic organizer with little compartments in it. I wish I'd known to bring it for my bathroom kit! I keep OTC meds, bandaids, Qtips, flossers etc in it so everything is together and we can keep it just about anywhere. Helps with storage.

 

I wish I'd known that I'd known about room service- early morning coffee is a lifesaver.

[threedjmay]

Order a cheese plate for a dessert in the MDR and take it to go for a good snack later on.

 

Whiteboard or sticky notes for outside your cabin if you are in a group to leave notes for them.

[luvcruzing]

I've come to the Carnival board to get some info on cruising on a Carnival ship since I'm thinking of booking my first Carnival cruise. After reading these tips, I only have one question: how do you purchase a FTTF pass and how much does it cost?

 

Also, two posters commented on bringing baggies to pack snacks and lunches to take on excursions. I'm surprised that no one pointed out to these posters that taking food off the ship that is not sealed (such as small boxes of cereal), and especially fruit, is prohibited.

[happytogetherj&j]

Try the Carnival Hub app- I think you'll like it. You can text your friends, locate different parts of the ship easily, look at your pics, sign and sail card, and find out all of the activities onboard. Not all the ships have it yet but if they do, it's worth the $5 for the entire week.

 

 

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[scsagh]

Try the Carnival Hub app- I think you'll like it. You can text your friends, locate different parts of the ship easily, look at your pics, sign and sail card, and find out all of the activities onboard. Not all the ships have it yet but if they do, it's worth the $5 for the entire week.

 

 

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Do you have to purchase an internet package for the Hub app to work?

[Sitzmark]

Actually there are a lot of apps for this, such as Find My Car. ;)

 

Carrr Matey

[Sitzmark]

I wish I'd know to bring Febreeze spray for the bathroom. No explanation needed!:cool:

 

We take Lysol and disinfect everything when we arrive.

[nychad10]

great ideas!

[Travelin_Texan]

I wish someone would have explained all of the holds that can come up on your credit/debit cards. I was not prepared financially to cruise at all and my S&S got locked so I couldn't do anything. I had to log onto the internet (pay by the minute plan back then) and try to shuffle what little money I had around in my accounts and pray my paycheck got deposited sooner rather than later.

 

I read about that somewhere on the Carnival page before my first cruise with them...don't remember where, though.

[originalgeek]

Do you have to purchase an internet package for the Hub app to work?

 

No, most of the HUB app features are free. You just connect to ship's wifi through the HUB and browse all its fun. BUT if you want to chat with someone on-board, that feature can be enabled for 5 dollars per cruise per device. It will let you chat with anyone else on the ship who also has the chat feature enabled.

 

Only if you want to communicate with people not on the ship and/or browse the internet would you need to buy any of the internet packages.

 

NB: HUB is not on every ship yet but coming soon to the rest. You have to leave the app running if you want notifications that someone sent you a message. Right now, Vista is the only ship that lets you see your photos from the Pixels gallery. Horizon will have it too and I assume they are working on getting that feature to the rest of the fleet. You should download it from the google or apple app store before your cruise so you have it ready to go when you board. Your home internet is almost certainly faster than the ship's and you may not have even bought the ship internet. You can set a countdown timer to your cruise in the app prior to sailing.

[originalgeek]

I've come to the Carnival board to get some info on cruising on a Carnival ship since I'm thinking of booking my first Carnival cruise. After reading these tips, I only have one question: how do you purchase a FTTF pass and how much does it cost?...

 

Get it from the excursions page in your Cruise Manager at CCL website. It will be listed as an excursion from the home port for your cruise. If it says sold out, keep checking every day as people often cancel cruises or just fttf so they become available again.

 

 

Prices starting from per stateroom:

• $49.95 USD - 2 day and 3 day cruises
  
• $49.95 USD - 4 day cruises (excluding Carnival Liberty, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Triumph and Carnival Victory)
  
• $59.95 USD - 4 day cruises (Carnival Liberty, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Triumph and Carnival Victory)
  
• $69.95 USD - 5 day cruises (excluding Carnival Sensation and Carnival Victory)
  
• $59.95 USD - 5 day cruises (Carnival Sensation and Carnival Victory)
  
• $69.95 USD - 6 day and 7 day cruises
  
• $79.95 USD - 8 day cruises and longer
  

[Nascars29]

Great advice Drgonzogoo also get a small camera something inexpensive. you tend lay them down a lot .

[LucyB.]

Take sneakers! (Or other sturdy shoes) I only took flip flops & mules my first cruise. If you're not lounging at the pool or Serenity area, you're walking a bit.

[Florings]

So I need to have an somewhere around $500 on the card just for holds that they place? Can you add cash to your s&s card and not the credit card thing? We have another couple going with us so we can take our own pictures. But I paid for everything in advance including gratuities, and had a budget of $750 for on board a few drinks and any shopping in the ports. But if they put a hold on that large amount (300-500) then I may need to reconsider my budget.

 

We always prepay everything and use CASH for our onboard spending account. Usually put about $600 and it's plenty for souveniers, casino, steakhouse, cocktails and extra cash tips if they are earned.

[WuShox]

Honest question regarding cash vs credit card...there's a lot of concern about credit card holds. If you're not concerned about exceeding your credit card limit what's big deal about holds? The way I see it all the charges, holds and credits net out upon disembarkation. We're all paying the same amount whether you prepay your account with cash or just let hit your credit card account. Perhaps prepaying in cash is a budgetary control?

 

 

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[joltfreek]

Take half as many clothes. Take more money than you think you will need. Spend $20 in the casino to remind yourself why you dont gamble. Join in a Lido game, join a line dance. Get up early and watch a sunrise. Find the "wind tunnel" door at the front of the ship and take silly pictures! (Our 1st cruise on the Paradise we spent probably 20 min every morning doing dumb stuff at those doors!) And HAVE FUN and TRY NEW THINGS! :cool:[/

 

This will be my second carnival cruise, my friends like 5th and we have never heard of the "wind tunnel" door? i know its at the front but how do you get there we are leaving friday on ecstasy!

Would also like to know where the wind tunnel is on Ectasty going on my 1st cruise April 29th. I did find a thread on the secret decks on the Ectasty! Might be cool to check that out.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1803271

[dawnjam1]

Honest question regarding cash vs credit card...there's a lot of concern about credit card holds. If you're not concerned about exceeding your credit card limit what's big deal about holds? The way I see it all the charges, holds and credits net out upon disembarkation. We're all paying the same amount whether you prepay your account with cash or just let hit your credit card account. Perhaps prepaying in cash is a budgetary control?

 

 

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It is your DEBIT card that it really matters on. And for most people it is a budgeting issue. However, some people have lower limits on CC's as well.

[dawnjam1]

I've come to the Carnival board to get some info on cruising on a Carnival ship since I'm thinking of booking my first Carnival cruise. After reading these tips, I only have one question: how do you purchase a FTTF pass and how much does it cost?

 

Also, two posters commented on bringing baggies to pack snacks and lunches to take on excursions. I'm surprised that no one pointed out to these posters that taking food off the ship that is not sealed (such as small boxes of cereal), and especially fruit, is prohibited.

 

 

Taking food off did not used to be as big of a deal as it is now. I stated that we did it in the past. Our kids are much older now. But, to each his own. They come in handy for a LOT of things!

[hotsauce126]

• $49.95 USD - 4 day cruises (excluding Carnival Liberty, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Triumph and Carnival Victory)
  
• $59.95 USD - 4 day cruises (Carnival Liberty, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Triumph and Carnival Victory)
  
• $69.95 USD - 5 day cruises (excluding Carnival Sensation and Carnival Victory)
  
• $59.95 USD - 5 day cruises (Carnival Sensation and Carnival Victory)
  

 

Does anybody know why the price changes now for certain ships?

[IntrepidFromDC]

MDR is open for lunch and that's where the best food is.

[dawnjam1]

Does anybody know why the price changes now for certain ships?

 

 

Some ships do not have the upgraded Internet. MAYBE that is the reason. I don't know off the top of my head which ships but that is a semi-educated guess.

 

I am SURE that they are related! LOL! "MOCK" Good catch hotsauce126!

 

Dawn

Edited March 10, 2017 by dawnjam1
forgot fact

[Daphne'sMom]

If you are in a balcony cabin - DO NOT open the door to the hallway and the balcony door at the same time if the ship is moving. Your cabin will become a wind tunnel.