Tips and secrets in a nutshell...

[DougD137]

Also if you have a Birthday coming up do what I did. Ask friends and family instead of buying you clothes and stuff tell them to call Carnival and get you some Gift Certificates as a gift. Thats what I did. I will start my vacation with $200+. Every dollar helps.

[msolberg]

Here is something I wish we would have done on each cruise we have taken.

 

Write a review of your trip with all the details and post it on this board. My DH wrote one several years ago. I found it the other day and read it. It was like taking me back to the cruise. Not only did he have names of some of the companies we used but he also had some crew members names in it and also what we did in each port. Those details really took me back. :)

 

Not only will you be helping your fellow CC'rs plan and look forward to thier trip, you will have your review for great memories in years to come.

 

Diane

[soupercb]

"there are two robes provided for you to use if you ask for them"

 

Why is it that they just don't have the robes for you anyways and instead have to ask for them? so that they get tipped??

 

I've never had to ask for them...they've always been there, hanging up in my closet. We were not in a suite.

[imatarb]

Simply call Carnival and tell them you would like to purchase funship dollars. You have 2 options on how you 'use' them. You can have Carnival mail the certificates to you. I personally don't like this option. You either have to mail them back in to redeem them or take a chance on losing them at some point between when you get them and when you sail. Option number 2 is much more user friendly. When you buy them, tell the rep on the phone that you want them applied directly to your account. They charge them to your credit/debit card and put them right onto your S&S account. It looks like onboard credit. They have a couple different denominations (sp?) starting with $25 and going up to (I think) $500. There is no limit to the amount of times you can call and buy them/have them added to your account. If you're booked far enough in advance, you can buy $50-$100 a month, put them on the account, and by the time your cruise comes your S&S account is already paid for.

 

I LOVE this idea...we may just do this for our Triumph cruise in December. Thanks for posting!!

[Undrhil]

Simply call Carnival and tell them you would like to purchase funship dollars. You have 2 options on how you 'use' them. You can have Carnival mail the certificates to you. I personally don't like this option. You either have to mail them back in to redeem them or take a chance on losing them at some point between when you get them and when you sail. Option number 2 is much more user friendly. When you buy them, tell the rep on the phone that you want them applied directly to your account. They charge them to your credit/debit card and put them right onto your S&S account. It looks like onboard credit. They have a couple different denominations (sp?) starting with $25 and going up to (I think) $500. There is no limit to the amount of times you can call and buy them/have them added to your account. If you're booked far enough in advance, you can buy $50-$100 a month, put them on the account, and by the time your cruise comes your S&S account is already paid for.

 

So, what's the difference in paying for your S&S with "funship dollars" and applying your credit card to it? I mean, can't you pre-pay money into your S&S from the time you book your cruise? Or am I mistaken about that? And if you do use funship dollars, can you later withdraw these as cash to use during shore excursions?

 

Undrhil

[molly361]

You can pay on your sail and sign but it is in the form of fun ship dollars- you can buy them right thru Carnival's webiste and when you order them as if you were buying them for someone else you put your booking number in the address line and it will go right on your shipboard account and be there waiting for you- we do it that way so the bite of our bill isn't so bad- if you buy a little each month to me it doesn't "hurt as much" when the final billcomes in-

[Cinderose]

If you purchase $200 in funship dollars, do you still have to put a credit card down at check in? If you dont use all the funship $ how are they cashed out at the end of the cruise?

C

[Cinderose]

Take your own beach towels to avoid the hassle from the ship and to avoid be harrassed by vendors on the beach (Carnival towel = vendor $$)

 

Bring some water bottles to take on shore excursions to save $$.

 

Take care of your bartender / drink waiter, and they will take care of you.

 

Make sure to stock up on "snacks" before debarkation. The wait can be pretty long and everything is closed during this time. Except for the coffee shop which takes cash (and ONLY cash).

 

Use your cabin telephone for leaving each other messages

 

You can call Carnival's Bon voyage department and pre-order alcohol to be delivered to your cabin? You can order bottles of hard liquor so that you can make your own drinks. You can't order online. You must call to set this up. It is a little pricey but worth it and cheaper than buying by the drink.

[JoeTx]

you won't get it on carnival, its some type of water infused sirup goo. Instead, make some hot tea with the free lipton tea bags they provide and get an extra cup of ice

[Cinderose]

Bring extra twist ties for your suit case in case you get them cut off due to inspection.

[luv2cruz44]

Cinder,

 

Thanks for your tips in a nutshell.I, like most other posters have seen most of these before but I never mind a review. Also have never seen the tip about "drugs" available in the ship Doctor's waiting room. That was a good 'un. Thanks again for taking the time.

 

Ann

[tgo's]

You can pay on your sail and sign but it is in the form of fun ship dollars- you can buy them right thru Carnival's webiste and when you order them as if you were buying them for someone else you put your booking number in the address line and it will go right on your shipboard account and be there waiting for you- we do it that way so the bite of our bill isn't so bad- if you buy a little each month to me it doesn't "hurt as much" when the final billcomes in-

 

My pre-cruise/vacation saving plan is to have a second savings account -- one that can not be accessed by my ATM card -- and have a set amount of money transfered into it each month.

Because this happens year round I am used to living without the money - and when I want to travel there is already some cash set aside for the trip. With two vacations comming up this winter I have been stepping up my saving with some additional transfers.

This helps when the chance for a last minuit trip comes up - you may just have the cash to go!

[GeorgiaWingRider]

We are taking out first cruise in June 2007 on the Glory. All of the tips posted are great. Can't wait. :)

[Cinderose]

Its usually FILO (first in last out) on luggage, so make sure you CARRY ON anything you may need - meds, camera, change of clothing, etc. since luggage may not get to your room before dinner when we first getting on the ship.

Those with the 5:30pm flight home ….we plan to go to the beach for a few hours before our flight.

No Shorts, Levis or T-shirts in the Dining Room

Ensenada - Mercado de Mariscos, just a short walk from the ship along el Malecón. Seafood Heaven!

Ensenada port is in the middle of town; the closest resort with a beach is a half an hour drive away, possibly more, depending on traffic.

Soda Cards cost about $6 per day for adults and 4.50 for kids, but if you buy it by the glass its about $1.25+tip. TIP: you can bring a big insulated mug and have them fill that up to last you longer.

Free lemonade, fruit punch, coffee, tea and juices. Just remember where you got the juices as they remove the labels after breakfast. But the dispensers should still work. All water on the ship is drinkable if you don’t want to buy the bottled.

FYI… Room service is free but they charge for sodas even if you have a soda card. Don’t forget to tip.

Your allowed to bring aboard a bottle of wine but if its opened in the dinning room your charged a $10 corkage fee.

You can even bring a small amount of soda or water in your checked in luggage. Just remember airlines charge if bags are over 50 lbs.

You can take food from the buffet back to your cabin to enjoy there. Bring baggies to keep breads etc fresh.

Order coffee the night before to be delivered to your cabin as your wake up call, then you have it while getting dressed and don’t have to wait for it. The do charge for the specialty coffees- espresso, cappuccino.

Notify your credit card company you will be out of the country so they don’t surprise you and refuse any transactions.

Don’t use your credit card in Mexico (take plenty of cash) since fraud laws are different outside the US.

Book any massages or facials that you want when you first get on the ship as the appointments fill up fast.

Airlines rules that all prescription meds must be in there original containers, all insulin must have printed labels, and insulin syringes must also be in original box with patients name printed on label.

By law, prescription drugs have to be in a container with your name and the Doctor's name on a proper label.

Try and buy all souvenirs on the last day of the cruise since everything is marked down.

While the "inch of gold" looks great be advised it darkens when it gets wet and looks really bad - and is only gold plated.

Please ask your room steward to put your beds together to make a queen for any couples that would like them together.

Wash your hands constantly and be sure that you wash your hands at the end of the buffet line before you pick up that roll!

Wipe down your remote control, door handles with disinfectant cloths and always wear footies in your cabin as virus' spread this way.

[cvcxl]

thank you for the tips! It would be great if you could keep the first post updated when new tips pop up. keep up the good work!

[stainedglasslady]

I don't care how many threads with tips I read I always find something new. Or find something I had forgotten.:)

[bmwmom2002]

Hair dryers are NOT provided in every room. Check before you go. We didn't have one on our Fascination cruise. We DID have robes in our rooms though. So did our friends, and we were just in OV, not suites.