Carnival cruise questions!?

Question

I am going on a cruise with my family this summer. We are going to go on Carnival. What do you do at camp carnival. what are daily activities? We are 5 people so are we going to have to split rooms? How much clothes do you think you will need for a 3-4 day cruise? I need all the details you can give on ALL about the carnival cruise and which cruise of all is the best?? Thanks ALL!!!! My Moms scared of cruises? Is it really that scary?!?

Answer 1

No it's not scary at all. It's FUN!!! The kids clubs are fun too you get to kewl things all around the ship not just stuck in some room. The camp couselors are kewl.. young and hip. The talent shows are GREAT FUN to watch if you not in them.  But I don't know if they do as much with the kids as they do on a 7 day cruise....  

Each guest's spending habits varies.

The best advice I can offer I guess is to watch out for some tourist pits ... but seriously sit down with your spouse first and design a budget for your family. Then sit down with your boys and discuss the budget. This way everyone is on the same page.

Here's a few things your travel agent should have told you:

Since Carnival states in their policies guests are ALLOWED to bring a

SMALL quanitity of non-alcoholic. Bring a case of soda pop & bottled

water,especially with kids, since it's not included.

Or you can purchase unlimited "Fountain Fun Card" onboard the ship at

any bar. On a 7-Day this card cost $28 per person for anyone under 18

years of age & $38.50 per person for 18 yrs and up + 15% services taxes.

However. if you guys aren't soda pop drinkers then you can have all

the "Free" drinks you want. Such as tea, milk, coffee, fruit drink

4 people for 7days can run up a tab. Be careful.

Don't call home on the ship phone.. it's costly.

Bring medical kit attention is very expensive too.. bring your own

meds, Neosporin,bandaids, antiacids, cold cream (for sunburns)

asprins, etc. (remember to pack in your large suitcase) Airlines only

allow you to bring trial sizes in your handbags.

Then there are all the gift shops onboard, loaded with something for

everyone. If you like to try your luck at bingo you have to purchase

the cards, or perhaps purchase something from art gallery, and there

is lots of jewelry in every shop. Then there are the pictures:

$20 a pop! (8X10),$8 (6X9), & $6 (5x7).

And on shores.. well that's a whole new ball of expenses.

Answer 2

You will find reviews on cruise lines and their ships on www.onevacationclub.com. You will also be able to find prices for cruises on all the major cruise lines, including cabin type. Entertainment and type of cruises can be found as well.

Answer 3

Show your mom our Yahoo 360 page and does it look scary?

Answer 4

Our family cruises frequently.  We have hosted 2 family reunions on Carnival.

To ease your Mom's concerns, consider getting a pair of 2-way radios to use on the ship.  A group of five will likely not want to stay together since there are so many things happening on the ship.

Yes, you will need 2 rooms for 5 people.  The rooms usually have a max of 4 beds plus you will never be able to survive with only 1 bathroom for 5 people!

The kids should sign up for Camp Carnival on the first night.  My kids come and go at Camp depending upon the events.

I also highly recommend purchasing the soda fountain card.  @ $1.75 per can of soda, it will pay for itself if your family members drink about 3 sodas a day.  

Carnival is a cashless system.  When you board, you set up an account with either a credit card or a cash deposit.  I sail with a credit card and usually get shock at the end of the trip.  My sister uses a cash deposit so she does not overspend her budget.  The parents can determine if the kids will have charge privledges.

Consider taking 2 swim suits.  They never dry out and who likes putting on a wet swim suit?  Take a large back pack for carrying things in during shore excursions.  

Take a power strip.  There are never enough power outlets in the cabin.  Also, take a night light or a clock with a light. The rooms are wicked dark.

Don't get too crazy and overpack.  You will see everything from gowns and tuxs to summer dresses and dockers on formal night.  My girls (pre-teen and a teen) use the formal night excuse to get a cool new dress...Pack 1 pair of shoes that will match all of your dinner, formal included.  You still have to handle your luggage at the port terminal and having more than 1 suitcase and 1 carry-on per person is a drag.

Answer 5

You didnt tell your age.  I've been on 3 Carnival cruises and enjoyed all of them.  Actually it doesnt matter how old you are because they have something to do for all ages.  Go and make it a point to enjoy yourself--its not that hard to do.  They have movies, pool with slide, shows, tours, game rooms, arcades, track, exercise room, jacuzzi, dances, get togethers, game time, competitions, entertainment, excursions, discos, great buffets, comedy shows.  They give you a list by time of all the things to do and you choose what you want to do.  Each cruise ship is a little different.  The best thing to do is to be open and try something new.  Even though you arent totally thrilled with a tour or special event, go to it anyway.  You would be surprised how much fun you can have.  I went to a speech on what to do on the different islands and they had a raffle so I put my name in and I won a real diamond bracelet.

Boy, was that worthwhile.  The speech was very informative and funny.  The key is to do as much as you can on the cruise and not to stay in your cabin.  Re-assure your Mom not to be scared.  It is actually safer than driving in a car.  I get motion sickness and have never been sick on a cruise.  One piece of advice that someone gave me was never to look at the curtain bottoms.  Sometimes they sway a little and it could get you sick to watch them.  Also IF the boat sways walk with the sway of the roll.  Just  in case take some "Bonine" you can buy it at Walmart.  IF the waters were to get rough you take it right away and you will be able to continue to have a good time.  Most people take it too late and it doesnt work.  I had to take it once but only took 1/2 of one and I was fine.   The ships are so large that you typically dont feel anything.  Concentrate on having fun.  It is not scary at all--actually it is addicting...Once you go on one cruise you want to go on another.  As far as clothes, I would take clothes for the day--like shorts and a short sleeve top and then take  long pants and a nice top for dinner and entertainment at night.  Take at least one fancier outfit for Captains night where everyone dresses more formal. I like taking more tops because it is very hot outside yet the ship is air conditioned.  They have hair dryers in every cabin and have irons at the office that you can use.  I would take 2 bathing suits, so while one is drying you have the other one you can wear.   Also pack important items in a carry one piece of luggage in case your suitcase gets lost at the airport.   You have to pay for liquor and soda on the cruise; however they have free lemonade and water and that was more thirst quenching anyway so it didnt cost any additional money.  Take a camera to capture the memories--it is great to look back on.  I like purchasing the pictures that the photographers take on the ship they do not cost that much and it is fun to see them posted in the gallery every day.

Answer 6

I have been on two Carnival cruises, both on the Ecstasy. I am 12 now, but on our last cruise I was 11. My cruise was 5 days, but most of the information should apply to your cruise.

Camp Carnival: On our last cruise I was placed in the 9-11 age group. On the first night, there was a registration and family welcome aboard party in one of the ship's lounges. After that, a family ice-cream sundae party was held at the Lido Deck resteraunt. When the ice-cream party was over, the kids and their parents were invited to tour the "Playroom." The Playroom is kind of like the headquarters of Camp Carnival. On our ship it had a flat-screen TV, computers, PS2s, a foozeball machine, and a Candy Art machine. The first sea day began with an activity called "Icebreakers." This allowed all the kids to get to know each other. We were then taken to the ship's arcade for a game tournament. After that we met in the disco to play Quick on the Draw. This is pretty much Pictionary. At noon Camp Carnival closed for lunch. It reopened at 2:00. We began the afternoon activites with Fear Factor at the Lido Deck resteraunt. This involved eating interesting mixtures of food, such as ice-cream mixed with pepper, olives, ketchup, and pizza sauce. Kids who were interested in participating in the Talent Show on the last day of the cruise, could sign up at this time. Our next activity was People Bingo. Each team was given a sheet of paper that was divided into many little boxes. Each box had a label such as, grandmother, man reading a book, woman eating ice cream, and so on. The object of the game was to find someone doing one of the activites on the card, and to get them to initial the correct box. The first team back with their card completed would win. Camp Carnival was then closed from four to five to prepare for formal night. Camp Carnival reopened with Free Play and PS2 time in the Playroom. A Kids Fun Formal was then held in the disco. After that, kids who didn't want to attend formal dinner with their parents, were invited to the Lido Deck grill to enjoy a formal dinner with the Camp Carnival staff. After dinner, Camp Carnival escorted its campers to the show in the main theater. After the show, the kids were able to meet and learn some dance moves from one of the ship's dancers. Camp Carnival did offer babysitting for a fee, but other than that, activites were closed for the night. The next day was a port day in Cozumel. Kids could come and go according to their shore excursions. The day began with Free Play in the Playroom for eight to twelve. After lunch, a cartoon time was held in the Playroom. The next activity was an arts-and-crafts time. We made door hangers and spin art. We then took a break to go get drinks and ice cream. A Scavenger Hunt began at Camp Carnival, and lasted for an hour. Camp Carnival then closed for dinner. The evening activities began with Swimming Under the Seas. The big pool with the slide was reserved for Camp Carnival for one hour. Campers were then given fifteen minutes to change in their cabins. Campers then were invited to go to the Lido deck to make their own pizza and ice-cream sundaes. We ended the days activites with a card game called Crazy Cards. The next day was another port day, this time in Progresso. I was not able to participate in the morning activities, as I was on a shore excursion. When I got back on the ship, the first Camp Carnival activity I participated in was Mini Golf. Camp Carnival had the Mini Golf course on the top deck of the ship reserved for one hour. Camp Carnival then closed for dinner. Evening activites began with Deck Games, such as basketball, volleyball, golf, and shuffleboard. We were then offered snacks and drinks in the Playroom. The campers then chose a movie to watch in the Playroom. At 10:00pm, the Late Night Party began. This party was offered to all campers for a fee of $26. We ate sundaes, decorated a team flag, played a fun trivia game, played capture the flag, played a game of hide and seek with shoes, and then we had free time in the Playroom. The party ended at 3:30am. We were all given a certificated and squishy ball for attending. We were then walked back to our cabins. I highly recommend this activity! The final day was a sea day. We began the day with an Uno challenge in the disco. There were two other activities, which I did not partcipate in. Camp Carnival then closed for lunch. After lunch all the kids went to the Playroom to decorate T-Shirts, do spin art, and play PS2. The next block of activites was for families. All kids had to be accompanied by an adult to participate. There was a family scavenger hunt, in which you and your family were given a list of things to find. You were to find the items and bring them to the Playroom. Some of the more interesting items on the list were a red sock, a chef hat, and a picture of a dog. An Ice Cream Eating contest was the next activity. It was held in the Lido deck grill. All families who participated in these activites were given a certificate. I then went and watched some of my friends in the Talent Show. After the Talent Show, the kids met in the disco for a farewell party. We had snacks and just hung out for a while. We then went out on deck to play basketball. We then went to the Lido deck grill to exchange phone numbers and email addresses, eat ice cream and pizza, and say goodbye one last time. That was the last Camp Carnival activity of the cruise. I loved every activity. I can't wait until our next cruise, because I will get to try out the teen activities.

Clothes: The dress code of the day is casual. You will need to pack shorts, capris, jeans, several shirts, some tank tops, and at least two bathing suits. For shoes, most people wear flip flops, but be sure to bring a good pair of walking shoes for port days. On your cruise there will be one formal night. Girls should wear a fine dress, and guys should wear a suit or tux. On all other nights, dinner is more casual. You should wear what you would wear to church or something like that. To cut down on how much you pack, you could mix and match outfits. Most ships have a hair dryer, so you shouldn't need one. Just make sure you have anything else you might need. I hope you find this clothing information helpful.

Ship: Since you are going on a 3-4 day cruise, you will probably be on a Fantasy class ship. Which one you take really depends on which port you want to leave from. You should take into account which port is closer to your home. If you leave from Mobile, Alabama, you will be on the Holiday, a Holiday class ship. I will type a list of all the Fantasy class ships, and what port they leave from.

Celebration-Jacksonville, Florida

Ecstasy-Galveston, Texas

Elation-Port Canaveral, Florida

Fantasy-New Orleans, Louisiana

Fascination-Miami, Florida

Imagination-Miami, Florida

Inspiration-Tampa, Florida

Paradise-Los Angeles, California

Sensation-Port Canaveral, Florida

I also found one newer ship that offers a short itenerary, but is not in the Fantasy class. Here it is.

Carnival Victory-New York, New York

You should look on Carnival.com or contact a travel agent to decide which cruise is best for you.

Cruise Fears: I was nervous about going on my first cruise.   But, when you actually get on the ship, you realize that you can't even tell you are on the water. If you get involved in activites and stay active, it will feel like you are in a normal hotel, but with a lot more fun. Make sure you take some sea sickness medicine of some sort, so that any movement of the ship will not bother you.

I hope all of this helps! Have fun on your cruise!

Answer 7

Camp Carnival is broke down into age groups.. the last cruise we went on with kids (youngest was 14) they took tours of the kitchen, watched where the chefs prepped the food, went to the bridge, saw an area where the anchor is placed..   CLOTHES :  we went fora 7 day cruise.. I took 4 suitcases.. LOL.. one just for shoes tho..... Yor mom will love it... you can't tell your moving.. theres nothing like the sunrise and sunsets... if you drink a lot of soda, its a good idea to buy the drink card... they are about 30 dollars i think.. but with them you get all the soda you want, if you dont have that you have to pay for them... we were on the Carnival Miracle.. sailed from Tampa Florida to the Grand Cayman, Cozumel & Costa Maya Mexico and Belize City Belize.... You'll love the towel animals in your room each night .....ENJOY !!!!!!!!

Answer 8

Hey tell your mom no need to worry. I was a little nervous before I went on my first cruise to the eastern carribean. The majority of the time we had other cruise ships in sight though so that was very comforting. You all will be fine and deffinately made a good choice going with carnival! As far as cloths find out how many formal nights they have for dinner if any and take cloths for those nights. Other than that if your like me take a couple baithing suits and something to wear on shore and you will be good. Check out my web page sometime for booking cruises and other travel,etc. at www.MyTravelWithSteven.com if you have anymore questions my number and e-mail is on my site. Happy Travels!!!

Answer 9

if you have a room all the way down on the lower two floors, you might feel a little seasick if your mom is prone to that, but once you get higer, you don't feel a thing. Also, alaskan waters (colder) are going to be rougher than warmer waters. But really, nothing to be worried about.

Answer 10

I have only been on one cruise. It was a Carnival cruise and our ship was called the Fascination. I am dying to go on another cruise. Our cruise was a 3-4 day, as well. Not long enough but still fun. Since I don't have any children, I can't tell you anything about camp carnival. You will need probably 2-3 changes of clothes a day, and one nice dress (evening gown if you dare to be glitzy). There is nothing scary about it, in my opinion. But different people have different fears. I love the concept of the cruise because you don't have to worry about driving anywhere. All your dining and entertainment is within walking distance! Have fun!