DawnM Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Give me any tips you have. Packing, food, etc.... We are doing the Bahamas (Nassau and Freeport) NO kids, just girlfriends. Also, I don't want to buy the ship's high priced internet and found out that through my cell provider (ATT) I can get enough international roaming for a one time charge, to cover my trip. The Cruise line (Carnival) says it will work, but wondering if any of you have gotten it or used it and had issues? This is my FIRST cruise! Thanks, Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeWillSoar Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Ooooh, listening in. I'm going on my first cruise too! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 DH wants to go on a cruise for our 25th anniversary this year (we went for our honeymoon), so I have been doing lots of researching. Pack light so you have less "stuff" to mess with - one good outfit if you are going to eat the formal dinner. Your best walking shoes if you go on a shore excursion that requires walking. A couple of swimsuits so you can have a dry one to put on if you decide to go back out. A nice suit "cover up" for walking around on deck. A hat is a must even if you don't think you will wear it - sunburning your scalp can make you change your mind! Cell phone coverage can be spotty according to reviews, I am planning on not using it at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 We went on a 4 night cruise to the Bahamas over Spring Break on Royal Caribbean. Food is all included in the price so I wouldn't pack any food (not sure if you were asking about packing food or just packing AND food, LOL). We paid the high priced internet and it was so not worth it. We never added international coverage to our phones so I can't speak to that. Even with the internet it was spotty and we tried to use instant messaging to communicate with each other when we split up on board but the messages only went through about half the time. As far as clothes, comfortable is best. We had one formal night which we ended up not doing (because one kid forgot his pants, one forgot his nice shoes, etc.). The rest of the time I wore capris and cute summer tops to dinner in the dining room. The rest of the shorts and summer tops. You will find some people dressed up in fancy resort wear and you will see some people in gym type clothes, and everything in between. Two swim suits in case one is wet. Do bring a sweater or something with long sleeves as the dining room can be cold on a ship and if you are outside at night it can get chilly. If you drink alcohol, you may want to see if they have "all you can drink" packages. Ours were not cheap but we weren't hit with a big bar bill at the end of the cruise. Mixed drinks were over $10, beers were $5-6, I don't drink wine so I cannot speak to that. We went on a nice snorkel trip in Nassau, I think it was called Seahorse Adventure or something like that. There is a public beach you can walk to from the cruise dock, I think it is called Junkanoo Beach and I was told there is free wi-fi there. If this is your first cruise, know how boarding works. You can either carry your luggage with you all day until rooms are ready (we boarded around noon, they made an announcement that rooms were ready around 2:00 so you have to schlep your bags all over with you), or you can leave your bags with a porter (some people didn't get their bags till dinner). If you do that, pack whatever you many need in your carry on (a bathing suit and cover up if you want to hang at the pool, a book, meds, anything you would need for the first few hours of your trip). This is what I like to do: board, grab something to eat ASAP (the casual buffet places are a ZOO on the first day, it may be less hassle to eat in the fancy dining room - they relax the dress code for first day) and then spend the time exploring the ship to get a lay of the land. Have a wonderful time! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 Thanks. All helpful. There are 6 of us and we each plan to carry one bottle of wine as that is the limit per person. I am not even sure i want any (I drink a glass about once a year anyway!) but I will take my "share." We are also bringing a corkscrew as we have heard they charge to open a bottle of wine! Our cruise has no free sodas. It is $6/day for unlimited refills OR $2 per 12 ounce can. Since I drink soda about every other day, I will just add the $8 to my tab and buy a soda every other day or so IF I feel I want one. I do plan to use the espresso bar and pay extra! That is MY kind of treat and I will enjoy my $6 latte! I did not know about the porter situation, I read something about it but wasn't sure what they meant, so thanks for clarifying that. I also was wondering about a jacket.....I will be taking one. AK, our cruise does have a laundry facility and we are opting NOT to go ashore one of the excursions (Freeport I think) so I will use that time to do a load of laundry so I don't have to take as much with me. It is $6 per load I think ($3 for washer and $3 for dryer.) I made sure and found this out because I didn't want to have to buy a bunch of extra clothing! Thanks for the hat tip. Pink, when you say to eat in the fancy dining room, do you mean to pay extra for a meal? Or is it included? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 When I say fancy dining room, I mean the regular one that is included. The ships I have been on (all two of them, LOL) have a fancier waiter service "main dining room" which had a no shorts or tshirts for dinner rule, and a casual "buffet" dining room, both of which were included in the price of the cruise. We have never eaten at the restaurants you pay extra for (some ships have these, some don't). I am not sure about Carnival, but for Royal Caribbean any 3 or 4 night cruise has one "formal" night for dinner in the main dining room. What people considered "formal" varied. Widely. Some wore ball gowns, some wore what I would wear to the gym. The porters are like you would see at the airport - they will take your luggage curbside before you board the ship and it will be delivered to your room. I would really do this because then you don't have to worry about carrying your stuff all over. Just make sure you have what you would need for the first few hours or so in a carry on bag. Our rooms were ready around 2, and our luggage arrived shortly thereafter. Some people in our section didn't receive their bags until dinner time. You may want to check out the forums over at the Cruise Critic website. They are broken down by cruise line and even by ship. You can get lots of info from people who have just cruised your itinerary and lots of helpful suggestions on things to do, laundry facilities, food, packing suggestions, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Bring entertainment...one of the big disappointments on my carnival cruise was the lack of things to do that i was interested in. I thought there would be more activities to do on ship but found that most of the time there wasn't and the pool was too loud to hang out at for the day. So make sure you have things you enjoy doing that you could do in your room or a quiet corner of the ship. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Re the wine corkage fee: it is common for anywhere (restaurant, cruise, events) where you want to bring your own wine instead of purchasing from the menu. So, if you just want to be able to crack open a bottle in your cabin, then yeah, bring the corkscrew and DIY. If you want to have your wine with dinner in the main dining room, then they are going to charge you the corkage fee. And I've not traveled on Carnival, but other cruise lines, and it would have been sort of tacky to insist on corking/pouring one's own wine at dinner and arguing about the fee. Think fancy restaurant. But, even with a $15 corkage fee, I've found it economical to bring my own wine on a cruise because the wine I pay $8 at Cost Plus is listed on their menu for $38. ETA: and by linking that first article, I'm not implying you're a dummy!! :) Thanks. All helpful. There are 6 of us and we each plan to carry one bottle of wine as that is the limit per person. I am not even sure i want any (I drink a glass about once a year anyway!) but I will take my "share." We are also bringing a corkscrew as we have heard they charge to open a bottle of wine! Our cruise has no free sodas. It is $6/day for unlimited refills OR $2 per 12 ounce can. Since I drink soda about every other day, I will just add the $8 to my tab and buy a soda every other day or so IF I feel I want one. I do plan to use the espresso bar and pay extra! That is MY kind of treat and I will enjoy my $6 latte! I did not know about the porter situation, I read something about it but wasn't sure what they meant, so thanks for clarifying that. I also was wondering about a jacket.....I will be taking one. AK, our cruise does have a laundry facility and we are opting NOT to go ashore one of the excursions (Freeport I think) so I will use that time to do a load of laundry so I don't have to take as much with me. It is $6 per load I think ($3 for washer and $3 for dryer.) I made sure and found this out because I didn't want to have to buy a bunch of extra clothing! Thanks for the hat tip. Pink, when you say to eat in the fancy dining room, do you mean to pay extra for a meal? Or is it included? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 We hadn't planned on taking the wine to dinner, just having some in the evening ourselves. That makes sense though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 Bring entertainment...one of the big disappointments on my carnival cruise was the lack of things to do that i was interested in. I thought there would be more activities to do on ship but found that most of the time there wasn't and the pool was too loud to hang out at for the day. So make sure you have things you enjoy doing that you could do in your room or a quiet corner of the ship. Oh wow. That is disappointing! Well, I will have my iPad and it has several books downloaded that i have intended to read! I will make sure they are already downloaded before I get on the ship. There are 6 of us and we are good friends, so if we can hit the "adult only" pool and just hang out and talk, that will work for me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Oh wow. That is disappointing! Well, I will have my iPad and it has several books downloaded that i have intended to read! I will make sure they are already downloaded before I get on the ship. There are 6 of us and we are good friends, so if we can hit the "adult only" pool and just hang out and talk, that will work for me too. It really depends on the people you are with. If you are a fun loving group that will hit up the salsa dancing lessons, the towel folding demonstrations, the trivia games (love love playing trivia and it's done in groups), and the extra little shows that the main cast put on (the magicians usually do a thing or two), then you will have no problem finding things to do most of the day. There are even morning stretching and workouts that you can do if you are an early riser. My DH and I are relaxed cruisers and you will be more likely to find us hanging out in the library with a deck of cards then anywhere else on board. Yeah, we cruise like "old people". You really don't need much clothing for a 4/5 day cruise. A pair of nice slacks, a skirt, and a couple of nice tops for dinner. 2 pair of shorts (if going in summer) plus the ones you wear on, a couple of breathable shirts, two swimsuits, a cover up if needed, undergarments (heck, I pack more gym clothing when I go then other stuff). I also pack a sweater no matter what time of year. The dining room and main theater can be cool after a long day in the sun. You need to confirm directly with the cruise line that there is a DIY laundry room still. Most of Carnival's fleet got rid of theirs in favor of the "stuff it in a bag and we'll do it". Even if the person you talk to the first time assures you there is one, call back and confirm with a different person. As for food, if you want something to eat, there is something available 24/7. If you have special dietary needs, contact them at least 2 wks before the trip and make sure it is listed on the booking. If you have to do this, then make sure you find out when the maitre de is going to be out that first day (usually before muster drill) and double confirm that it is there. You will also be able to order dinner at that time. If no special needs, I wouldn't worry about bringing food. What ship are you taking? Where is your departure port? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 Yeah, I didn't really mean bring my own food. I don't know what I was asking really......suggestions on what might be fun to eat or good to eat on a cruise??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 What ship are you taking? Where is your departure port? Taking Carnival Fantasy out of Charleston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Cash for gratuity! We had a very unexpected surprise at the end of our 1 week cruise that you will provide a tip of so many dollars per day to: 1. your cabin steward 2. your waiter 3. your waiter's assistant You also "tip as you go" for: - room service person - bartender - baggage valet - spa service etc. This is a helpful article on who to tip and how much on a cruise. As far as food: we enjoyed trying the different options -- most meals at our assigned table in the dining room, but there was a special steak house (you had to make a reservation) -- which was about $5/person for the most gigantic steak I've ever seen -- and then one afternoon we had a continental pizza -- again, an extra charge, but very low cost. If you drink a lot of soda you might want to purchase the "bottomless cup" at the beginning of the cruise, otherwise your beverages are expensive -- other than water, I think the only other beverages included were tea, coffee and a small glass of juice with breakfast. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 Cash for gratuity! We had a very unexpected surprise at the end of our 1 week cruise that you will provide a tip of so many dollars per day to: 1. your cabin steward 2. your waiter 3. your waiter's assistant You also "tip as you go" for: - room service person - bartender - baggage valet - spa service etc. This is a helpful article on who to tip and how much on a cruise. As far as food: we enjoyed trying the different options -- most meals at our assigned table in the dining room, but there was a special steak house (you had to make a reservation) -- which was about $5/person for the most gigantic steak I've ever seen -- and then one afternoon we had a continental pizza -- again, an extra charge, but very low cost. If you drink a lot of soda you might want to purchase the "bottomless cup" at the beginning of the cruise, otherwise your beverages are expensive -- other than water, I think the only other beverages included were tea, coffee and a small glass of juice with breakfast. thanks. I thought the room service person was included in that tip. I drink about a soda every other day at most, so I will either pay as I go ($2 per soda) or go without. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 thanks. I thought the room service person was included in that tip. I drink about a soda every other day at most, so I will either pay as I go ($2 per soda) or go without. I think she is referring to ordering room service food. Typically you tip the a couple of bucks. Realize that your auto tip amount covers a lot of people which means they really don't get much individually. I always expect to tip out my room steward and head waiter the last night if I feel they've done a decent job. Heck my last Carnival cruise I gave my largest tip ever and it went to a junior hostess in the dining room. She went well above and beyond for my special dietary needs. So just make sure you set some cash aside for those tips. Carnival Fantasy was my first cruise when it was in Mobile. It is a fun "little" ship. I've been on its sister ships as well (the Elation and the Fascination are identical ships). I've been on 6 cruises since Dec of 2009, so you could say it has been enjoyable. I wouldn't worry about wifi. Almost every stop has a coffee shop or bar with free wifi. FaceTime or email from there. While on the ship, enjoy being disconnected. It is one reason I love cruising so much. Any other vacation and my DH is working as much as vacationing. At sea they can't get him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3 ladybugs Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I haven't been on a cruise in 10 years but my biggest piece of advice is don't EVER, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, EVER go on a holiday cruise!!! We went on one at Christmas and so many things went wrong I felt like we were going to be lost at sea. We nearly lost 2 engines due to uncontrolled teenagers. My mom went on one at Thanksgiving and she said she would NEVER do it again. She has been on several cruises too. I hope you have fun! I would do it again... just not on a holiday, and not with my MIL's travel agent, but that is a different story. LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J'swife Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I have not been to Freeport, but did not care for Nassau, when we took a cruise, it was my least favorite between St. Marten & St. Thomas & Nassau. The people there are SO pushy & it's just not as safe. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Cash for gratuity! We had a very unexpected surprise at the end of our 1 week cruise that you will provide a tip of so many dollars per day to: 1. your cabin steward 2. your waiter 3. your waiter's assistant You also "tip as you go" for: - room service person - bartender - baggage valet - spa service etc. This is a helpful article on who to tip and how much on a cruise. As far as food: we enjoyed trying the different options -- most meals at our assigned table in the dining room, but there was a special steak house (you had to make a reservation) -- which was about $5/person for the most gigantic steak I've ever seen -- and then one afternoon we had a continental pizza -- again, an extra charge, but very low cost. If you drink a lot of soda you might want to purchase the "bottomless cup" at the beginning of the cruise, otherwise your beverages are expensive -- other than water, I think the only other beverages included were tea, coffee and a small glass of juice with breakfast. Dh and I have been thinking about a cruise to celebrate the end of raising kids. But the article you linked makes me NOT want to cruise. It sounds like I'm going to need to board the ship with enough ones to make people think I work as a stripper! I wanted to cruise as a way to relax and get away from everything, but there are a lot of people to tip! I wish they would just build it into the price of the cruise and pay their help what they're worth. I'm already befuddled by the soda charge, as soda is dirt cheap. So my meals are included with the price but the sodas are extra. It would put a damper on my cruise to be surprised at the end with a large service charge added to my bill. Just include it in the original cost. I wish tipping would change and that they paid the staff what they are worth and that tips were only given for above and beyond service, not just standard service. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Dawn, being on a cruise with a bunch of girlfriends is going to be so much fun!!! I bet you'll have a blast! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livetoread Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Royal Caribbean has a prepaid tips option that I use. We've never done room service and bar drinks already add the gratuity. If I receive exceptional service for something, I'll add more, but that is rare (not that we receive good service - that is usual - but something above and beyond that deserves additional tipping besides what we have already given). See if Carnival does something similar. We do tip the porters who take our bags onto the ship. We have cash for tips and some activities off the ship, but rarely do we need it for on the ship. If you want some drama, check out the tipping threads on Cruise Critic! Some argue that doing prepaid tips does not give the staff incentive to work harder, but we have always been satisfied with our service. We are very low maintenance though. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 The last cruise I went on had tips on auto pay. We first cruised in 2003, and it was handing out envelopes at the end of the cruise. Our last cruise was in 2011 and everything was autopay. You could change the tip amounts if you wanted/needed, but they just put the standard amount on your bill at the end. There was no need for cash hardly at all on board. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Dh and I have been thinking about a cruise to celebrate the end of raising kids. But the article you linked makes me NOT want to cruise. It sounds like I'm going to need to board the ship with enough ones to make people think I work as a stripper! I wanted to cruise as a way to relax and get away from everything, but there are a lot of people to tip! I wish they would just build it into the price of the cruise and pay their help what they're worth. I'm already befuddled by the soda charge, as soda is dirt cheap. So my meals are included with the price but the sodas are extra. It would put a damper on my cruise to be surprised at the end with a large service charge added to my bill. Just include it in the original cost. I wish tipping would change and that they paid the staff what they are worth and that tips were only given for above and beyond service, not just standard service. Okay… I did some more reading and it sounds like a $10-12/day charge IS now added to your cost to cover the room steward, waiter and assistant waiter. From the article I linked, it sounds like the tipping to those people is optional on top tipping. Our cruise was about 12 years ago, and it sounds like they have started the automatic gratuity more recently. I think the key is to talk it through IN ADVANCE with someone at the cruise line when booking a cruise I will say that it is a shame about the tipping, which means the service personnel often get shorted, and they really work hard for their money; they are often internationals who are away from home for 10 months out of the year, and they rely on the tips to support their families. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Do you have cabin assignments yet? That usually occurs at booking. Get a schematic of the ship and make sure you aren't on the lowest level, inside, near an elevator shaft. Unless you actually plan to be up all night. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Auto gratuities are standard now. Reason though that your $12 a day tips out multiple people. If you went to a restaurant and ordered an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert a bill would typically come out $30-40 per person. A 20% tip would be at least $6 and I promise you that your head waiter isn't getting half your daily tip. Anything you tip individuals on top of the auto gratuity is theirs and theirs alone. The one person you don't want to stiff is the guy taking your luggage from your car, turning and placing it on the trolley behind him. You want your luggage to get on the ship. Some companies do include sodas on their cruises. You are going to pay more for your cruise to get that though. Carnival is the Walmart of the cruise industry. Not the fanciest line, but good enough for those that just want to float away. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 Do you have cabin assignments yet? That usually occurs at booking. Get a schematic of the ship and make sure you aren't on the lowest level, inside, near an elevator shaft. Unless you actually plan to be up all night. Yes, my friend goes to Cruise Critic and she researched the best cabins for us. Our cabins have been booked for a while now. I read some reviews of our room and so far they are all positive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Auto gratuities are standard now. Reason though that your $12 a day tips out multiple people. If you went to a restaurant and ordered an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert a bill would typically come out $30-40 per person. A 20% tip would be at least $6 and I promise you that your head waiter isn't getting half your daily tip. Anything you tip individuals on top of the auto gratuity is theirs and theirs alone. The one person you don't want to stiff is the guy taking your luggage from your car, turning and placing it on the trolley behind him. You want your luggage to get on the ship. Some companies do include sodas on their cruises. You are going to pay more for your cruise to get that though. Carnival is the Walmart of the cruise industry. Not the fanciest line, but good enough for those that just want to float away. Well, like Walmart, it is affordable! Just hoping we don't get stranded without electricity and working toilets! :laugh: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Well, like Walmart, it is affordable! Just hoping we don't get stranded without electricity and working toilets! :laugh: Rest assured that Carnival isn't the only line that has maintenance issues. Just ask the Royal Carribean passengers from January that made it all the way to New Orleans to find out that their cruise was cancelled last minute because their rooms had no electricity or the couple thousand more that had a day and a half cut off their 9 day trip while they scrambled to fix it. Carnival just gets more publicity when things happen. Granted the one you referenced was really really bad. Think of it like flying, the 99.9% times that each flight makes it to its destination without falling from the sky never makes the news. Same goes for the thousands of cruises around the world each year that go without incident. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Rest assured that Carnival isn't the only line that has maintenance issues. Just ask the Royal Carribean passengers from January that made it all the way to New Orleans to find out that their cruise was cancelled last minute because their rooms had no electricity or the couple thousand more that had a day and a half cut off their 9 day trip while they scrambled to fix it. Carnival just gets more publicity when things happen. Granted the one you referenced was really really bad. Think of it like flying, the 99.9% times that each flight makes it to its destination without falling from the sky never makes the news. Same goes for the thousands of cruises around the world each year that go without incident. Well, unlike the airplane falling from the sky, you may have a better chance of survival if the ship can no longer operate. :lol: A group is planning Alaska next summer. We will see if we can make it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Well, unlike the airplane falling from the sky, you may have a better chance of survival if the ship can no longer operate. :lol: A group is planning Alaska next summer. We will see if we can make it. We went on an Alaskan cruise in 1999 or 2000. I would highly recommend it. Start saving now to upgrade to a balcony room. I could have sat outside on the balcony watching the scenery go by the entire time. It was peaceful and beautiful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 I don't know which one they are choosing or I would start looking now. I am hoping they let us know soon so we can book a room early. It will just be the adults. We will leave the kids at home. My best friend lives in Seattle and we have air miles, so I am hoping that the only cost will really be the actual cruise itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 How is your injury? Are you better? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Dawn, dh and I are going on our first cruise this summer--to Alaska! So excited :) I hope you have a fabulous time with your friends! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Dawn, dh and I are going on our first cruise this summer--to Alaska! So excited :) I hope you have a fabulous time with your friends! Report back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 How is your injury? Are you better? It is starting to feel a little better. I did get X-rays on Wed. and nothing is broken. I can't quite get around as normal and I do have to rest and not overdo it, but I think/hope I am on the mend. Thanks for asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I would love to hear about cruises to Alaska. Almost everyone I know cruises to warm locations, which I get, since we live where cold winters last almost 6 months. But we've been mulling over Alaska and I hear that it's quite a different experience than Caribbean cruises. So those of you who have experience...do share! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I don't know which one they are choosing or I would start looking now. I am hoping they let us know soon so we can book a room early. It will just be the adults. We will leave the kids at home. My best friend lives in Seattle and we have air miles, so I am hoping that the only cost will really be the actual cruise itself. Of my cruises I've taken, I've taken my kids on exactly 1. I will never do it again. Like dh getting away from work, I deserve a vacation as well. Bringing kids just changes my job location. That's not to say my kids aren't well cruised. My MIL and sFIL are big cruisers and routinely haul some number of kids with them. An Alaskan cruise will be our first cruise after the youngest graduates in 10 yrs (maybe if we hold off cruising a year or two it will be sooner). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 25, 2015 Author Share Posted April 25, 2015 Of my cruises I've taken, I've taken my kids on exactly 1. I will never do it again. Like dh getting away from work, I deserve a vacation as well. Bringing kids just changes my job location. That's not to say my kids aren't well cruised. My MIL and sFIL are big cruisers and routinely haul some number of kids with them. An Alaskan cruise will be our first cruise after the youngest graduates in 10 yrs (maybe if we hold off cruising a year or two it will be sooner). By next summer I will have an 18 year old! And a 16 year old and a 12 year old. Honestly, the 12 year old is often the most responsible! I am not sure if I will leave them completely alone or not. One may have his license by then, but I don't want them driving around as a new driver while we are gone. So, still debating if this is the right time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIch elle Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 You have to pay for soda and alcoholic drinks but juice, tea, coffee, lemonade, and ice tea are usually all included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 By next summer I will have an 18 year old! And a 16 year old and a 12 year old. Honestly, the 12 year old is often the most responsible! I am not sure if I will leave them completely alone or not. One may have his license by then, but I don't want them driving around as a new driver while we are gone. So, still debating if this is the right time. Mine usually end up split between grandparents. We are a long way from leaving them home alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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