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The ultimate Carnival cruise tips and tricks guide covering all aspects of your upcoming cruise vacation. Find some great advice to help you out so you can focus on having fun or relaxing. Cucina Del Capitano and JiJi Asian Kitchen are both for-fee specialty venues at dinner on most ships, but offer free build-your-own lunch options earlier in the day. At JiJi, you can build your own noodle bowl with your choice of noodles, vegetables, proteins, and sauces.
While there are lots of rules… you can usually get away with breaking them
11 things I wish I knew before my first Carnival cruise - Cruise Blog
11 things I wish I knew before my first Carnival cruise.
Posted: Tue, 14 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Stick with the main promenade deck if you want an easy way to go back and forth. You definitely want to run the numbers on how much you’ll drink before you buy and if you’ll get your money’s worth (see our drink package calculator here). But if you do decide to purchase it, be sure to do so before you sail. If you don’t want to wait in line, check it out before it closes for the evening. Most people eat dinner elsewhere, so the lines are much shorter. If you’re an early eater, then grabbing a burger without a line is a smart move.
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The currency used on most Carnival ships is U.S. dollars. The exceptions are any Carnival ship based in Australia, where pricing is listed in Australian dollars. While the free programming ends at 10 p.m., you can pay extra to leave your kids at Camp Ocean until 1 a.m.
Now You Know The Best Carnival Cruise Tips – It's Time To Set Sail!
Bring a backpack carry-on – Remember how we discussed BYOB in number 3? You are going to have to carry that on with you and not put it on your checked luggage. Checked luggage may take quite some time to arrive to your stateroom.
Bring Your Own Toiletries
Some East Coast ships also head to Bermuda, New England and Canada. On the West Coast, sailings to Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska are the norm. Seven of the line's 25 vessels measure less than 100,000 tons, which makes them almost midsize by today's cruise ship standards. Be generous with the cruise staff and you will be treated like royalty. They work hard, 7 days a week barely getting a good break.
Lunch prices at specialty restaurants are often cheaper than dinner
Just head down to the dining room whenever you’re ready to eat, and they will find you a place to sit. It likely won’t be with your same waiter, but you’ll definitely get fed. One thing you might not think to bring is a small portable fan for your cabin room. There isn’t much airflow in the cabins, so if you are the type that always need a breeze to be comfy, then you’ll hate sitting still in the room. As well, we like the white noise that a fan provides to drown out sounds like people talking in the hall while we are trying to sleep. Ziploc bags have to be the most useful item you can pack.
If not, get on the ship as early as possible and reserve your table as soon as you get on board. Carnival offers amazing free food, but its specialty restaurants are also worth the splurge if you're looking for variety or a date night out. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Platinums also get complimentary wash-and-fold laundry service (with a limit of two to five bags, depending on the length of the cruise).
Whether they take place in the Limelight Lounge, Punchliner Comedy Club, or elsewhere on the ship, Carnival’s stand-up comedy shows are very popular. If you’re hoping for a seat — especially at an adults-only show — arrive at least 30 to 45 minutes early. Anytime you leave the country, it’s a good idea to purchase travel insurance. Not only does this protect you in instances like travel delays, interruptions, and cancellations, but it also covers you in case of a medical emergency.
Carnival discounts the package $5 per day — or about 8% off the onboard price — if you buy the package online before you board. It’s tradition for Carnival to place a coin on the ship when under construction as a good-luck charm. It’s a fun pastime to explore the ship and see if you can find it. It’s usually located on an upper deck in a public area where anyone can access it.
A slightly more expensive "value" plan, at $19.55 per day when bought in advance, adds access to email and most websites. Carnival has been rolling out faster Wi-Fi systems across its fleet in the last couple of years, such that you can now stream video on some ships. Pricing changes over time, but the fastest "premium" service on Carnival vessels was recently priced at $21.25 per day when bought in advance ($25 per day when bought onboard). Most of these six ships (all but Carnival Venezia) have an a la carte barbecue-and-beer joint called Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse, too. Like other big-ship operators, Carnival packs a lot of dining options onto its vessels — some included in the price, some at an extra charge.
Nearly all of them, however, will let you bring on bottles of champagne or wine. Check with your cruise line, but the rule is usually either one bottle per cabin or one bottle per adult passenger. Be sure to mention to any cruise line employee why you are there if it’s a special occasion. There’s no guarantee, but it’s not unheard of to be surprised by a bottle of champagne and some strawberries in your cabin for free. The cruise lines know that a little perk like this doesn’t cost a lot but can make your loyal for life. When you sail, all your spending on the ship is done through your room keycard that acts like a credit card tied to your onboard account.
However, don't forget about sit-down options, many of which are free. Offer complimentary lunches, or you can enjoy Emeril's New Orleans fare or sushi for an extra charge. Carnival cruise ships provide the bare minimum of toiletries — bar soap to wash your hands, dispensers of generic shampoo and body wash in the shower. The most popular tours often sell out, especially ones with limited space (such as snorkel trips on small boats). Just do so more than 24 hours prior to sailing in order to get a full refund. Cancel on board and you'll be subject to a 25% cancellation fee.
When traveling with your kid(s) only without their other parent, ensure you get a written permission from the other parent to travel with them. Avoid the legal drama of trying to prove that you are not skipping town with your kid(s) without the other parent’s approval. Ask a waiter and they will bring you, your desired meal. This helps if one of you loses a bag or gets their bag delayed at customs. It ensures the other person has clothes to wear, while they await their suitcase.
It will be delivered to your room later in the day. This is a great convenience, as there's no need to haul your bags through the entire check-in progress. But it also means you might not have access to your luggage for many hours on your first day on board. That price is way cheaper than what you’d pay traditionally to send your clothes off to the ship’s laundry room and can leave you with fresh clothes after a sweaty day in port.
For one, they have beautiful beaches where you can spend the day. For another, the cruise lines use them as an opportunity to generate more revenue with things like exclusive areas, cabanas, and more. If you are sailing from ports on the East Coast to the Western Caribbean, there’s a possibility you could find yourself in the middle of a refugee crisis. The waters between Florida and Cuba are where Cubans trying to make their way to America will set sail, hoping to reach the mainland. If you can, look for a cabin that sits on the upper decks of the ship. No, it’s not because higher decks offer great views (although that’s a great perk!).
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