Cruise Advisor

Carnival Liberty wedding cruise

If you are looking for a ship that will be please everyone the Carnival Liberty is a perfect choice. This ship is great for celebrations of all kinds.

The occasion of this cruise for us was a wedding. We had folks of all ages and backgrounds sailing and a fantastic time was had by all. Well, except for that moment where one of the wedding guests in a drunken stupor decided he would catechize all the other guests and the wedding coordinator too. The bride was beautiful, the groom looked dashing and Carnival's in house wedding people The Wedding Experience took care of all the details. The ceremony was short and sweet with participation of several family members. The reception with open bar was a classy affair. If you are wondering if a cruise wedding is right for you I am hear to tell you it is!


Embarkation
Getting onto the Carnival Liberty is a pleasure. Anyone who says differently has not followed Ann's rules and in that case it serves them right. If you are like me and possess a superior intellect you will arrive at the port early, around eleven am. Do not pay attention to the nonsense spewed in your cruise documents about not trying to board prior to one o'clock. These instructions are designed to distribute the flow of the crowds. Arriving early with your cruise documents previously filled out online and your funpass printed and in hand will get you on the ship lickety split. After check in you will be asked to take a seat and allowed to board in small groups.

You cannot go to your cabin until after one pm but you can tour the ship and eat at the buffet up on Lido deck. Please do not become one of those annoying cruisers trying to sneak down to their cabin. This only delays the room steward's cleaning.

In our case the wedding was held soon after boarding in the Tapestry room all decked out in white flowers with pillars and other churchy decor. The wedding coordinator had every detail planned out down to who would sit where. The ceremony was videotaped and mercifully they edited out the shot of my behind looking the size of Chicago when as matron of honor I had to sprint up the aisle and retrieve the bride's flowers as the ceremony started. The ring bearer performed his duty with a seriousness far beyond his five years. The men were suited up handsomely in tuxedos and the women all wore shades of the ocean to eye catching effect.

About an hour before sailing the muster drill will be called. You must go with your life jacket to your muster station. The crew inform you about where to go and what to do in the unlikely event of an emergency. This whole thing takes about 15 minutes if everyone cooperates but can be drawn out as long as an hour if the staff have to track down missing passengers. Do everyone a favor and get to your station on time.

The Carnival Liberty is a lovely ship. On our trip we had the 6:15 dinner seating in the Golden Olympian dining room which was perfect for us. I highly recommend the mushroom soup and would discourage anyone from ordering the red snapper from the spa menu. Our waiter, to his credit, did try to deter me from ordering this dried out excuse for a fish dish even going so far as to whisper in my ear that no one ever finishes it but I would hear none of it. I normally pride myself on being an independent thinker and never taking advice form anyone to great success. In this instance I humbly admit that I was wrong and that no sane person, not even one on the last days of Survivor would be able to eat this particular plate of so called food. I would comment on room service but I am still waiting for them to answer the phone.

This megaliner has many other venues at which you may sample a myriad of foods. There is the Lido grill restaurant that has hot dogs and hamburgers, french fries and onion rings and the unexpected treat of nachos that you build yourself with the usual fixings. There is a buffet on Lido deck inside that serves a different ethnic food every day albeit somewhat americanized version. Of course pizza is available 24/7 for those who do not take pleasure in tasting new things. The deli also seemed to be open until the wee hours serving up tasty Reuben sandwiches and the like. The Asian food station was by far my favorite as we selected our own ingredients including noodles and lined up to have them stir fried with a choice of 3 sauces. As I stood in this line for 25 minutes to have my veggies cooked I pondered whether I could swim to China eat with chopsticks and be back on time for dessert.

The entertainment on this voyage was better than average. While the newlyweds slept in their theater seats the rest of us laughed ourselves silly at the comedian Percy Cruise's show . Even though he used jokes I have heard before his delivery was fresh and not offensive.

I know Carnival has reputation for being a party person's cruise line and I did see plenty of that going on. To each his own I say. Your cruise is what you make it. I don't party at all and enjoyed myself immensely. This ship has something for everyone from deck parties to the disco a good time is had by all.

Ports

Our first stop was Nassau where we took a taxi van for $4 per person to Cabbage beach near the Atlantis Hotel. The sea was a little choppy that day but we loved it. We tried to sneak into the Atlantis for a look see as others in our group had done (see the muster drill photo for the culprits) but we were asked for hotel ID and turfed quickly.

Grand Cayman Island was our second stop. We have been there previously so did not do an excursion but took a take for $4 per person to 7 mile beach. We all rented lounge chairs and set about the hard work of ...well lounging. One thing you should know about 7 mile beach. It looks so beautiful and calm and inviting but as you enter the water there is an area of loose sand. While wading in thinking you are entering paradise you will sink about 3 feet which causes a touch of panic like the feeling of stepping into quick sand for a second until you keep walking. We spent the better part of our time here floating on our air mattresses giggling at the looks of terror that spread across the faces of our fellow swimmers.

Our last port on this trip was Jamaica, Ocho Rios to be exact. We have been to Jamaica more times than I can count so again avoided a ship sponsored excursion. We took a taxi for $10 total to Mahogany beach. There was no charge to enter the beach area which is small but tranquil and inviting. There is a restaurant and gift shop on site as well as watersports and massages for those so inclined. As a connoisseur of jerk food I felt obligated to sample the jerk chicken delivered to my beach lounge chair. I pronounced it yummy and was tempted to order more as my travel companion gobbled most of mine up at breakneck speed.

The last was a day spent at sea which found me sitting on our balcony reading a murder mystery novel while my travel companion went for a massage and shopping in the ships stores.

All in all I would sail on this ship again even the identical itinerary as it encompassed some of my favorite places.

Elation Review

The Elation is a ship built in 1998 for Carnival Cruise Lines. It was the first ship to have the azipod propulsion system. Everything you read about the Elation will include a small blurb about the azipod system. You may wonder what the heck that is so I'll tell you. It's much like having front wheel drive on your car. Instead of the energy source pushing the ship it pulls it instead. This makes maneuvering the ship much easier so you can be confident there won't be any listing or tipping over of the ship on your cruise. Also it reduces those vibrations that cause motion sickness in people like myself.

Enough about mechanics though because Carnival's got the fun don't they? Yessirree they do. The Carnival Elation has three swimming pools. One with a 214 ft water slide! ImageThis is where the music is and the pool games. Expect it to be busy the first few days. My favourite pool is the one at the back of the ship on verandah deck because it takes new passengers about 3 days to find it so for the first couple days of your cruise it is uncrowded. The last pool is the kiddie pool on promenade deck at the ships aft (back). This pool is a bit like swimming in a toilet with all the babies in their swim diapers-which are not allowed.

Continue reading "Carnival Elation Review" »

First let me congratulate you for being so smart as to leave your wedding planning to someone else and the fun to yourselves.

Now, let's get some misconceptions out of the way first. You won't be married by the captain at the bow of the boat while the ship sails along. These things aren't allowed in real life. The Captain is busy driving the ship so don't bother him about your wedding. The only exception to that is on the Grand Princess and Star Princess where the Captain can marry you but not at the front of the ship.

Continue reading "Getting Hitched At Sea" »

Cruises are replete with opportunities to bring out the glutton in all of us. There is tasty food available at every hour and at multiple venues. And who can resist the chance to gorge themselves? I have learned from experience that it is entirely possible to go up a dress size in only a week. There is much more to a cruise than the food so what I propose is to let you in on all the activities available on the Carnival Sensation that will help you to avoid that particular humiliation and help you to maximize your enjoyment of your cruise.

The Carnival Sensation has an outdoor 9 hole mini golf course located on the sports deck. There is no extra charge for the use of the clubs and golf balls. There is also a gold pro onboard who can assist you with golf lessons and arranging tee times in various ports.

The gym and spa together are over 12,000 square feet. The gym is equipped with free weights and treadmills. There are also stationary bikes and elliptical machines. Classes are offered in aerobics, yoga, kickboxing cycling and Pilates for a small fee. The spa is an oasis of relaxation offering the usual manicure or pedicure and hair salon. They also offer a dreamy hot stone massage. The lime and ginger massage is an exfoliation treatment with massage. The ultimate is the Swedish massage for two. Those under 16 aren't allowed in the gym or spa. Passengers between 16 and 18 years old can go in but only with an adult accompanying them.

Continue reading "Activities Offered On ... »

Glorious Dining on the Carnival Glory


The Carnival Glory is 110,000 tons of glorious fun. The ship was built in 2002 and is the second in a series of Conquest class ships produced by Carnival Cruise Lines. This vessel has something for everyone whether young or old. For those seeking excitement and action or relaxation and peace this is the ship for you. Carnival Cruise Lines has mastered the art of entertaining and serving thousands at once.

Let's start with the most talked about cruise experience of all, dining at sea. On the carnival Glory there are two formal dining rooms called the Platinum and the Golden. Upon boarding you will be assigned one of these with a specific dining time and table number. You are not obligated to eat here at any time however if you choose to dine in these dining rooms you must sit at your assigned and and be on time. You may be seated with others or only with your traveling companion. Some love this aspect of cruising , getting to know new people, I do not and always request a table for only those that I travel with. These two dining rooms serve a different menu each night with lobster being served on formal night which usually is takes place on the first day at sea with no port stop. There are usually 7 entrees to choose from, a chicken, a beef, a fish and a vegetarian selection. Anything you see as an entree can be prepared as an appetizer instead if you would like to just sample it. There are also at least 6 appetizers to choose from like chicken satay skewers or mississipi delta prawns. Caesar salad and garden salad are always on the menu. The dessert menu is scrumptious with treats such as tiramisu or key lime pie you are sure to find one to your liking. Dessert usually has 4 or 5 choices, one of them being low fat or sugar free.

Continue reading "Dining On The Carnival Glory" »

For those of you who are uninitiated out there let me inform you that Disney is not just a theme park and the Disney Wonder is not just a cruise ship. The Disney Wonder was built in 1999 and holds about 1700 passengers. It is 83,000 tons of family oriented fun. There is also a dining venue, swimming pool and nightclub for adults only. The only down side to a Disney cruise is that there is no casino on board as gambling does not fit into the Disney image . Other than that as usual Disney does it best.

The major difference in Disney Cruise dining compared to all the other lines is rotational dining. This means that each evening you will eat in a different restaurant but your table mates rotate with you and the same staff will serve you for the length of your cruise. Just to clarify because I found the idea a little confusing at first, here is how it works. The first night you may eat at Triton a restaurant decorated in the theme of the little mermaid. Say you table mates are Bob and Carol and your servers are Ted and Alice. On evening number two you will eat at Animator's Palate along with Bob and Carol and your servers will once again be Ted and Alice. On the third night you will dine at Parrot Cay and your dining companions will once again accompany you along with your servers.

Animator's Palate will leave you wondering what happened here. Upon entering the restaurant the walls are filled with black and white sketches and the wait staff are wearing black and white uniforms. At some point when you are engrossed in the Disney magic of it all the sketches fill in with color and the waiters change into colored vests. Triton is the most formal of the dining venues and Parrot Cay serves up Caribbean fare with a Disney flare. For those who prefer to dine in their shorts and T-shirts there is the Beach Blanket Buffet. For grill food like hamburgers and French fries you may visit Pluto's Dog House. Pizza is served up at Pinocchio's Pizzeria. The adults only restaurant is an Italian eatery named Palo's and the atmosphere is elegant.

Disney folk have a way of thinking of things you need before you do. The bathrooms on the Disney Wonder are an example of this. The bathroom is split with the tub/shower and a sink in one room and another sink with vanity and the toilet in another. The only cabins that do not sport this neat design are the standard inside cabins. There is a cabin size and configuration to fit your situation. Even the smallest cabins accommodate three people easily with a queen size bed and sofa bed. If you have struck it rich or are traveling with a group the Royal Suite will sleep up to 8 people and are over 1000 square feet.

All Disney cruises call at Disney's private island of Castaway Cay. Disney constructed their own pier so there is no tendering in therefore it is unlikely to be a missed port of your itinerary. On the island there is a family beach area called Scuttle's Cove that is reached by a shuttle that runs every five minutes. There are snorkeling areas in the sea with planted shipwrecks for you to explore. serenity Bay is the adults only beach area where alcohol and massages are available.

It just would not be Disney without a musical show. Disney Dreams is a sweet concoction showcasing most of the famous Disney characters. Children and adults alike love this production. Other pursuits are available to keep the younger set busy. There is a nursery where you can leave the babe for an extra charge if you need some adult time. There is also a teen only club called Aloft where teens are served from the soda bar and arcade games can be played.

In short a Disney cruise will please all but the most dedicated gamblers in the family. There is something for everyone. The decor of the ship is more like an early twentieth century ocean liner than Disney World. While sailing the Disney Wonder there is no question in your mind that you are experiencing a Disney production but you will never wish you were somewhere else. In fact you may wish you could back again soon. Especially when the fog horn blows to the tune of When you wish upon a star.

The most common questions that are posed to me are in reference to selecting a cabin. Everyone wants something for nothing. For newbies they just want to know what is the difference between the different types of cabins.Most cruise lines seem to offer a bevy of cabin categories to choose from but really there are only four main ones. Inside, outside balcony and suite.

Inside cabins are those that do not have a window. There is one caveat to that on some Royal Caribbean ships there are inside cabins that have a window that faces the promenade deck or shopping concourse. They can relieve ,a little, the feelings of claustrophobia but you better keep your drapes drawn if you don't want your cruise mates to see you in your knickers.
Outside cabins are also known as ocean view. True to their name these have porthole windows or big picture windows and have a glorious view of the ocean. Balcony cabins are usually similar in size to the inside or outside cabins but have the added benefit of a balcony.Suites are sweet. What you get is a large, by cruise standards ,room and balcony . Sometimes you get a jacuzzi tub or other luxuries.

There may be 4 different categories of cabin within one main category. This refers to the deck or floor where they are located. Back in the early days of cruising the passengers in cabins on higher decks were allowed to eat at certain restaurants where cabins on lower decks were restricted in their dining choices to the lower class venues. This is no longer the case.

Most cruise lines offer what they call guarantee cabins. If you book a guarantee cabin it means you are guaranteed what you paid for or a higher category . With these types of bookings you do not get to select your specific cabin but you can save big bucks. Of course where they put you is at the discretion of the cruise line so be prepared to accept that.

The best way to get something for nothing in cabin selection is to pick a ship that has lots of balcony and outside cabins relative to inside cabins. You can then book an inside and have a better chance of being upgraded for free. If you're really picky then book
an outside on one of those ships to make sure you have a view and you are likely to be upgraded.

Now you may ask how in the heck will I know which ships those are? Travelin' Ann will reveal all her secrets to you.

Alright let's concentrate on my favorite cruise line which is Carnival. I'll list the least likely to be upgraded on to the most likely.

The Holiday and the Celebration-the two oldest Carnival ships have only 10 balcony cabins therefore no chance to snag a free one there.

Fantasy class includes Fantasy, Ecstasy, Sensation, Fascination, Imagination, Inspiration, Elation and the Paradise .

These ships have only 54 balcony cabins so you are unlikely to get one unless you pay for it. You probably can get upgraded by deck though if you book the lowest category inside or outside Though you won't be upgraded from inside to outside you will be upgrade a few decks.

On the Carnival Destiny you have about a fifty fifty chance to get an outside cabin by booking an inside guarantee. Most of the outside cabins have balconies so there is a good chance to get a balcony by booking an ocean view as a guarantee cabin.

Carnival Triumph and Carnival Victory have mainly outside and balcony cabins. Sixty percent percent are outside cabins and sixty percent of those have balconies. I would book an inside guarantee and roll the dice.

Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor, and Carnival Liberty. Your chances are great to get a free upgrade on these ships. Book an inside and you'll probably be upgraded. Most likely you will end up with an ocean view but there is a good chance to be upgraded to a balcony especially if there are most than two passengers traveling together.

On the Carnival Spirit, Carnival Pride, Carnival Legend and Carnival Miracle you are most likely to hit pay dirt on these ships. There are only about twenty percent inside cabins on this ship so an upgrade is all but a sure thing.

Remember though the upgrade fairy doesn't give a fig if you are a past guest, getting married, or booked way ahead. It's all about the odds on this one kiddies. My advice is based on the most likely scenario. This logic can be skewed by large groups booking up all the good cabins so nothing is for sure. I have been studying these things for a decade though and I am rarely wrong. Try it, you'll like it!

The pleasure of cruising along on open water with the sea breeze blowing at tropical temperatures is one that every person should be able to experience without the unpleasant side effect of nausea. I suffer from motion sickness from a variety of different sources. Even movement on a television screen makes me sick. Or when someone who is sitting nearby nervously shakes their leg. Elevator rides make me nauseous and horse back riding too.

I have been sick to my stomach on a small fishing vessel that I paid a fortune to charter so when my brother suggested a cruise years ago I thought to myself that I may have more fun jumping off the Eiffel tower. At least it would end. I have since traveled on many cruises without the troublesome problem of sea sickness. I want to share what I have learned so that you too can enjoying cruising as much I do.

The easiest and most economical way to stop sea sickness is to walk. This is what is meant by getting your sea legs. When you walk around a moving ship the fluid in your inner ear learns the motion of the ship in a controlled way. When you feel sea sickness coming on walk,walk,walk. The worst thing you can do is take to your bed. Lying down will make your nausea worse. Once your body becomes accustomed to the motion you will no longer feel ill and will be able to sit and lie down when you want to.

Another drug free way to curb your motion sickness is by wearing a Sea Bands bracelet. The bracelet has a small bead on the inside that puts pressure on the inside of your wrist. This is a pressure point that will reduce nausea. Children and pregnant women can use Sea Bands as there are no side effects to this method. They are available at most drug stores. Buy these before you leave home and put it on before boarding the ship to be safe.

The use of ginger can help to reduce the nausea part of sea sickness but not the dizziness. Other herbal remedies have been tried but not scientifically proven to work. Staying above deck and getting fresh air will go a long way to normalizing your inner ear.

Cabin location can also be a factor in how much motion you feel while trying to sleep. Select a cabin that is in the middle of the ship both horizontally and vertically. If you pick a middle deck you will feel less motion from the sea and if you are close to the center of that deck you will feel less vibration from the engines and under workings of the ship.

Sail on a ship that has stabilizers. All of the newest mega liners have stabilizers that help minimize the rolling of the ship back and forth. Consider sailing on a ship that uses the Azipod propulsion system. All of the Carnival Cruise Lines ships have them. This system pushes rather than pulls the ship through the water which reduces motion and creates much less vibration. It also has the added benefit of allowing sharper turns for the ship without causing a lean.

Medications such as Dramamine or Gravol decrease nausea. You don't have to buy these at home as they are available on the ship at the pursers desk where they are usually given out free of charge. Unfortunately these drugs can make some people drowsy which does not make for an exciting cruise experience.

Ear patches work wonders to get rid of sea sickness. The trans dermal scopolamine patch is about the size of a dime and is worn behind the ear. It's effects last about 72 hours. This patch must be applied 8 hours before boarding the ship or you'll be playing catch up later. The trans dermal patch does have side effects ranging from drowsiness to dry mouth.

Even the astronauts from NASA have problems with motion sickness so you are not alone now are you weak and frail. Go on and book your cruise with peace of mind because now you'll be like me and everyone else who is openly addicted to cruising.

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