Taking my first Cruise on Carnival...Any suggestions?

Question

Taking my first Cruise on Carnival...Any suggestions?

Answer 1

I have been on many cruises so I'll share some tips.

Always pack your passport and cruise documents in your carry on bag ONLY.  If you plan to get into the pools or hot tub as soon as you get on ship (they will be open), bring those clothes in your carry on bag; you other luggage may not get to your cabin until much later in the afternoon.

Plan, if you can, on boarding the ship between noon and 1:00 PM. The buffet will be ready for you and you can then explore the ship before it gets crowded with people.  Go to the purser's desk and ask for a mini-map of the ship to help find your way around.

The dress on ship is casual all day until 6:00 PM, so take:

-swim wear (at least 2),

-shorts, tank tops and "T's"

-sandals, beach shoes,  good walking shoes,

-your snorkel equipment if you have it,

-sun glasses and sun screen,  lotions,

-a cap or big hat for the sun,

-a book if you are a reader,  your music player,

-sneakers and clothes to workout in if you like to use the gym,

-your camera, and other personal toiletries including tooth paste, mouth wash or lotions.  Your cabin will have towels and soap provided, including pool and beach towels, and a hair dryer.

After 6:00 PM they request that you wear "sports or resort casual" attire. That's attire that you would expect a person to wear in a business office, (like a bank employee), shirt with a collar, slacks, skirt, blouse, etc.   Don't over pack , take clothes that you can mix and match tops and bottoms and plan to wear each piece twice. If you are going to the Caribbean you will likely be in shorts and/or swim wear most of every day so evening clothes don't usually get much wear.

Your cruise will have a formal night or two when you can wear your best stuff and get pictures taken, and maybe meet the ship’s Captain. The formal nights are REQUESTED not required attire. You will not be denied entry to the main dining room if you decide not to dress up, as long as you are at least sports casual.   So don't worry about a tux if you don't have one; wear a suit or just go sports casual.

- Its best to pack using soft-sided luggage because with space limited in your cabin it fits under the beds better if its not hard sided luggage.

- Pack using the vacuum clothing bags (about $20 for 3 at Target) so that you can get more in your bag AND so that if the TSA at the airport opens your bag they can see what's inside without rummaging through your things.

-Take a small carry-on bag for the last night of the cruise. On the last evening you will be required to put your luggage outside your cabin by about 2:00 AM so that they can start taking it down to the lower deck for offloading the next morning. So you will need a small bag for your toiletries and your clothes that you sleep in.

- If you can take a six-pack of bottled water and soft drinks in your carry-on for your cabin. You will have to pay for both on the ship and its nice to have those handy in the cabin.

- If you are taking your cell phone, MP3 player or other item that needs to be plugged in take an extension cord as the plugs in the cabin are generally not in the best places and there are usually only one or two.

- Take a small bottle of hand sanitizer and/or hand-wipes. There are generally sanitizer dispensers at the entrances of restaurants, the buffets and dining room, but some times the are not there or not working. The sanitizer helps prevent the spread of the Norwalk Virus that sometimes occur on cruise ships.

- Take a can of air freshener for your cabin bathroom. The bathrooms do not have exhaust fans.

- Take a few zip lock bags of various sizes; they always come in handy.

- Take some one dollar bills (also maybe a few $5's) for tipping the porters in the airport, at the pier (they do not work for the ship), and they will come in handy in port stops for buying small items in the markets and at vendor stands; especially bartering places.

- take with you a large cup or mug (preferable with a  top that seals) for the free tea, punch, lemonade and juices; the cups provided by the ship are generally kinda small.

- You can get off and on the ship as much as you want in port stops so don't fell pressured to buy tours; you can go if you want on your own.

Answer 2

You'll have fun!

Some advice when planning a destination (if you haven't already..)

if you wan't something tropical the carribean is the best place ever

book some fun shore excursions also

and when you have to make a dinner time I would say go for the later time-I had a 5:45 seating and it was always kind of hard to make it on time, we had to cut our day short to get ready for dinner everyday....

also, when you board the ship...try not to have too many things that you carry on (you are allowed to give luggage over for them to take to your room, but it usually takes a while) and they don't let you in your stateroom for a few hours once you board, so whatever luggage you carry you are stuck with for a while...so pack light

overall you'll have fun

so enjoy!

Answer 3

when ya leaving

Answer 4

You'll have a blast!  If you want to do any of the tours or excursions at each of the destinations, book ASAP.  Some activities have only a limited amount of seats availabe.  (Like swimming with dolphins, etc.)

Check the website for your particular ship and date to see what excursions are available.

If you're old enough, the casino and clubs on the ship are great ways to meet people.  There are even clubs for specific age groups.  Even for teens and kids.

Food is available 24/7 so expect to gain some weight!  You can keep fit by swimming, walking the ship, or visiting the recreation rooms if they have any.  Some ships have running tracks on deck.

Ask the cruise staff if you have any questions.  The employees are incredibly helpful!  If you're traveling alone, you can even request an escort with specific qualifications (like gender or age) to accompany you to dinner and other events.  

Visit the website to read about all the activities on board your specific ship.  

For certain destinations, stick with a tour group instead of going out alone.  You will visit good shopping and dining locations and other points of interest, while avoiding the riskier areas of town.

Some vendors can be really pushy at locations.  Like in Jamaica, if you're not paying attention, hair-braiders will start braiding your hair without your consent and then demand money.  Keep alert and politely decline.  

For some destinations, keep wallets and cell phones in your front pockets.  Keep bags and purses across the shoulder to avoid snatchers or pick-pocketers. Leave valuables, like expensive wedding rings, or other flashy jewlery, in your room safe.  If your room doesn't have a safe, check with customer service where they should have safes available for "checking" items in and out.  Cameras are okay but keep them in a secure bag, on your wrist, or around your neck when not in use. Remember, other cruiseship members can be thieves as well, so don't trust strangers with your belongings or in crowded situations.  

On the two Carnival cruises I've been on, I never had any safety issues, but it's still a good idea to keep alert.

I hope you have a great time!