What is the best tip or piece of advice that you got from CC

[Hosh]

I agree whole heartedly This is a very beautiful place I live in northerern Utah but Southern is very nice I prefer the Uinta mountains my self

[bubbles1209]

1. The 1a cabins with the 2 oceanview windows, loved that on Liberty

2. Cross-packing suitcases-smart idea........just in case

3. Using the clear packing tape to wrap around the luggage tags Carnival sends you, so if it rains, the ink doesn't smear

4. How to look for & receive on-board credit

5. Using zip-ties instead of locks

6. Getting refills cheaper than purchasing another drink

I'm sure there's more if I think of them, I'll post back

:eek: I learned that I'm not the only one obsessed:eek: :p

[huskerdude]

Way too many to list !!! The Luggage under the bed was a good one. Booking Specific Top Secret Cabins like the Cat.1a cabins for me is the Winner.

 

 

 

Fred

 

Fred,

We took your advice on the 1a specific cabins and have a great one booked. :D Thanks for another thread you have on that!!

 

As far as advice I learned, I know it sounds dumb,

DUCT TAPE!!!

 

Ernie

[acwillie]

Great tips! What is a 1a category exactly?

 

 

I have the same question.....What is great about it? I guess I didn't even know it existed:p

[terrylou]

The best tip I got was on the Tips Forum regarding packing. At the grocery store, purchase the three quart zip lock bags..Pack all you clothes in these bags...slacks, tops, etc...Then squeeze all the air out of the bag and zip lock it. When you get to the room, just lift the bag from your luggage and place into the drawers. If you're not wearing them again, just place them back in the bag. This was great and I didn't have to worry about a dirty clothes bag.

 

Try it......

[bubbles1209]

I have the same question.....What is great about it? I guess I didn't even know it existed:p

the 1a cabins we are talking about are on the Conquest class of Carnival ships, which consists of Freedom, Liberty, Valor, Glory & of course, the Conquest. They are known as L-shaped cabins 2462, and 2465 on the main deck (2nd deck). They are listed as category 1a cabins. 1a cabins are the cabins that have bunkbeds. These 2 cabins in this class are the exception to that rule. They have not 1 but 2 oceanview windows, and 2 beds pushed together to make a king size bed. They sell for the price of a category 1a. So, long story short, it's like booking an oceanview with a bonus window for the price of the lowest category there is to book. There are pics of 2462 in my signature below on the Liberty cruise we took. Go to carnival's website and look at a category 1a, and look at the prices they book for, compare it to what an oceanview books for, and you'll see why this is one of the best tips we've learned.;)

[AmberMarie]

Whoa-- how hard is it to book the room, though? Do they sell quickly? Also, what if you request that room, but then someone else wants to pay the oceanview price to get it, will you not get it?

[bubbles1209]

Whoa-- how hard is it to book the room, though? Do they sell quickly? Also, what if you request that room, but then someone else wants to pay the oceanview price to get it, will you not get it?

They normally sell pretty quick. If you see that it is open, and book that particular room, it's yours. I don't think they let the money do the talking so to speak to buy the room out from under someone else, never ever heard of them doing that. I don't think they play deal or no deal when it comes to booking the rooms :p Once you put down a deposit on that room, it's held for you until you make final payment, then it's yours to keep. Trick is to book in advance because they sell so fast.

[Team M&M]

2. If you dont want to pack any luquor you can pre order it from the bon voyage dept and it will be in your room on arrival.

3. Dine in the Supper Club= Was wonderful BTW

 

Bon Voyage dept... is there a link to that? Is it the drink tix?

Supper club... what is this? Extra charges to it?

[tishie58]

Being from NY we fly in early and leave a day later....i hate rushing around and being anxious about connecting anywhere. All the advice from booze to power strips to private excursions are great. I am addicted to this site...:o

[sweetsixteencruisers]

So, so many great tips. My favorite are:

 

~ Go on your cruise with an open mind. Don't let the small stuff bother you.

 

~ and ginger pills for motion sickness.

 

 

We just got back from our first cruise on 4/8, Valor. What a great time we had:)

 

Thank you, CC

[buddyjo143]

I agree with you 100%. Boston to Florida at the end of April does not warrant flying in a day early and if I ever flew in a day early, I'd spend the cash for a nice place on the beach. If I ever do the Alaskan cruise, I'd fly cross country the morning before.

 

That might have been true two years ago when we first cruised but :( for the past two years our April weather has been horrible. Hope it changes soon.

[Karysa]

Love these tips. I also used the ginger pill tip that I got on CC last December and it worked like a charm. I also got a don't do which I passed on to my DD's...no silly string at sail off. Here's one way to lighten the packing, pack your nicer t-shirts and wear them to lunch or on board and then use the same one at the gym the next day. That might only be good for the people with my moto "when I start to sweat I stop"

[acwillie]

They normally sell pretty quick. If you see that it is open, and book that particular room, it's yours. I don't think they let the money do the talking so to speak to buy the room out from under someone else, never ever heard of them doing that. I don't think they play deal or no deal when it comes to booking the rooms :p Once you put down a deposit on that room, it's held for you until you make final payment, then it's yours to keep. Trick is to book in advance because they sell so fast.

 

Thanks! I will have to remember that for my next cruise:p

[westernmom]

Book your own air instead of using the cruise line!

 

Book your own excursions!

 

These two saved us lots of $$$!

 

Just because I read these boards religiously I felt like an experienced cruiser last year and was actually giving advice to our tablemates and they had cruised a lot!

 

So, I guess the Resort on Cocoa Beach is a cheap hotel? Guess I need to reconsider!

[cruisinbuddy]

Fly in the day before, board the ship early, mini power bar, bring your own wine, these are my top 4.

[crusinpsychRN]

Insurance tips

 

I love the over-the-door thingie

 

Signs for the door or for CC meetings

 

Excursion info and who is really good/reliable

 

Power strip

 

Too many to mention!

[nckvilledudes]

2. If you dont want to pack any luquor you can pre order it from the bon voyage dept and it will be in your room on arrival.

3. Dine in the Supper Club= Was wonderful BTW

 

Bon Voyage dept... is there a link to that? Is it the drink tix?

Supper club... what is this? Extra charges to it?

 

 

Hi Team M&M,

The Supper Club on each ship is fine dining, reservations only. Each ship that has one goes by a different name. On our cruise last fall on the Legend it was called The Golden Fleece, on our up coming cruise on the Liberty it is called Harrry Winston's. I think it is $30.00 extra but well worth it.!!!!! You can call the Bon Voyage dept number from the Carnival web page listing. It's 1-800-522-7648, tell them you wish to pre-order liquor for your cruise.

Dan

[buddyjo143]

This tip is not about the cruise as much as it is for pre and post cruise. You can use an online website to hold your mail at the post office.

 

https://dunsapp.usps.gov/HoldMail.jsp

[VentureMan_2000]

That you can get $100 On Board Credit for a 7 day cruise if you are a Carnival Stockholder of at least 100 shares.

 

It's $50 for 5 day cruises, and $150 or $200 for longer cruises, but I can't recall right now.

[terri910]

That you can get $100 On Board Credit for a 7 day cruise if you are a Carnival Stockholder of at least 100 shares.

 

It's $50 for 5 day cruises, and $150 or $200 for longer cruises, but I can't recall right now.

But how much does 100 shares of Carnival stock cost???

[5String]

But how much does 100 shares of Carnival stock cost???

 

 

As of the market closing on Friday 4/20, CCL was selling for $47.20 per share. So that's $4720.00 for 100 shares. That would give you an excuse to book (47) 7 day cruises and then you'd have made your money back.

 

Sounds good on paper (screen) but I don't think it would actually work out that way somehow.

[vjmatty]

:D Just discovered today, the best advice from CC is put each outfit in its own plastic dry-cleaner bag while in your garment bag. We have been back since April 8 and I JUST unpacked my garment bag :o which has been sitting on the floor in my bedroom since we have been back. Everything that was in dry cleaner bags I could wear right now, and everything not in bags looks like its been sitting in a garment bag on the floor for the past two weeks ;) or like I slept in it!

 

Another tip I found on my own, for non-liquid smaller items, the next time you buy curtains or sheets, save those plasitc bags with the zippers on them and put anything in there you want to be able to find easily upon unpacking... power strip, chargers, hooks, clothespins, nonspillable toiletries. They are not as flat as ziplock bags so they hold a lot more, and you can still see what you are looking for in them.

[patrice1]

Another tip I found on my own, for non-liquid smaller items, the next time you buy curtains or sheets, save those plasitc bags with the zippers on them and put anything in there you want to be able to find easily upon unpacking... power strip, chargers, hooks, clothespins, nonspillable toiletries. They are not as flat as ziplock bags so they hold a lot more, and you can still see what you are looking for in them.

 

Great idea! Also:

• hotel info
  
• checking with the Maitre 'D after boarding
  
• the military discount - saved us a bundle twice, so far!
  
• power strip
  
• pre-ordering liquor for room from Carnival
  
• excursions

And a new one - we used to always bring a nite lite, but this time we're bringing those battery operated fake candles. They look just like real candles, some are scented and it's way more romantic than a nite lite;) .

[VentureMan_2000]

But how much does 100 shares of Carnival stock cost???

 

It's currently trading around $47 a share, so about $4700. That $100 OBC is equivelent to a bit more than 2% of the stock price. Carnival also has dividends that are a bit more than 2% of the sck price too. So, provided the stock price does not go down... you would end up with a 4%-plus return.