Carnival Cruise NF

[TAH]

To celebrate our 60th birthdays and 40th anniversary last October my wife and I decided to go on an east Carribean cruise with Carnival, with suggestions from the kids, and our daughter-in laws.

We are leaving Friday flying to Miami and boarding the ship on Saturday.

 

Any advice , do's and don't would be appreciated.

 

Thanks TH

[Roy]

Never trade Speedos with the captain.

 

Have a great cruise.

[1leggedangler]

Never been myself but my outlaws go alot. Get those wrist band motion sickness helper things as you don't want to spend your holiday fighting the bends. Hope you have a great time and congrats on your 40th!!!

 

Cheers,

1leg

[Headhunter]

Wear stretchy pants to the buffet! Hope you enjoy your cruise... do you need any help with your bags?

HH

[Crazyhook]

What ports are you heading too? let em know, I worked on a ship for 7 motnhs and have been to most the islands and can point you and your fam in the right direction

 

you will have an excellent time

[TAH]

ports are San juan, St. Thomas and St. Maarten

[TAH]

bump

[Crazyhook]

ports are San juan, St. Thomas and St. Maarten

 

San Juan we used to get there after dark... you can walk into the city and see some shaops and there are a few casinos as well. If you pack a fishing rod you can fish right beside the ship. I have caught cudas and jacks there and have had guests form the ship catch tarpon .

 

St Thomas is a nice island and there are a bunch of good thigns to do. We once took a little boat to a small island and camped out on the beach and played Vollyball. Good shopping there for Diamonds ( like you want to hear that)! you cna get lobster at Subway in St Thomas! its very good... one cool family thing to do is take the gondela to the top of the mountain ( walking distance from where the ship docks) there is a little restaurant at the top and some shopsa, great place for pictures as well. The ship will offer tours on board , if you are planning on it book them early as they do sell out

 

St Maarten, my favorite little place, half the island is dutch and the other is french. Beer is really cheap there! if you need electronics you find the prices there lower then the cost prices in Canada. Do yourhomework before and you can pick up some good deals.

Nice little restaurants ( like you will want to eat more after being on the ship for a few days). If you guys just want to get some sun there is a fun spot on the beach called everythings cool.

 

If you have any more questions, ask here or pm em

 

if you want to get a saltwater charter St Marrten is probrobly your best bet. Dolphin, Wahoo, tuna and whatever else and the prices will be comparabole with those in the US St Thomas has awesome billfishing but a day out will cost you about 2 k...

[TAH]

thanks for the info Crazyhook, what type of electronics are you talking about, home electronis or fishing electronics.

 

Thanks

[Crazyhook]

home electronics ( digi cams, camcorders etc). The prices are alot lower the only thing is I do not think the warentee is transferable

 

any more quesitons fire away. What kind of things do you guys like to do?

[irishfield]

Keep your wife on the boat in St. Martin if she likes jewellery ! If that won't work...just a tip to make the pain easier....Sit on a stool at the jewellery counter and order a drink from the male worker. They'll "feed" you as long as she looks interested in what they have to offer...or at least they use to. They figure the longer they can keep hubby in the store...the more they'll sell.

 

And what Jamie said....if you need a new lense for your camera etc...that's the place. Just go educated.

 

Had no luck deep sea fishing either time in St. Martin. 8 hours of not a sniff from the sea at what was being trolled. Me and my pal ran them out of beer on booth outings and when it was gone told them to take us home. Very disappointing compared to my Cancun Charter the year before.

[Daplumma]

A light spinning outfit with some white jigs can provide hours of entertainment just casting around the docks.I used to live in Bermuda and it worked there.

Joe

[Crazyhook]

I second the white jigs! rip em hard!

 

also black and silver xraps, gold or silver spoons, Yo Zuris...

[TAH]

thanks for the responses so far.

being that this is our first adventure, crusing, it will be an r@r trip , once I get the hang of it i just might pack a rodnext time, fishing rod that is,. Wayne did you mention free BEER, now you are talking, the wife can look over the jewellery while I drink the suds, no doubt she will come away with something.

Crazyhook thanks for your responses. any comments on buying a good digital down there.

 

th

Edited January 26, 2007 by proboat

[irishfield]

I would never buy the complete camera/recorder in the Islands unless you're willing to consider it disposable. Accessories and lenses only.

[TAH]

thanks for all your help. just one day to go.

 

Someone asked about the exchange rate on the $ late yesterday afternoon $1.21 CIBC, when we paid for the trip in early November $1.11

 

TH

Edited January 25, 2007 by proboat

[davew3]

In St Martin the boat docks at Phillipsburg.

There are two ways into town. You can walk from the boat or take a punter to the town dock. It is a fair walk to town. If you take the punter once you get off the dock there will be a Burger King on your right. Try to get there early as when I was there there were 5 ships and all the people arrived at once.

I recomend a Tilly hat and a white shirt. It is hot down there. There is jewlery in most every shop with deals to be had, make a ridicules offer then see what happens. There is Front St and then Second St. There are good deals on Second St. Buy 3 t-shirts and get a beer free. You can have fun there and also the cigars are a good price. Plus a No Tax Island. By the way very hot take or buy water or beer. very very hot !!!

Have fun.

Edited January 25, 2007 by davew3

[TAH]

thanks davew3

[Rizzo]

I've been on 7 cruises (can't get enough of em!). If its all new to you, then take the excursions offered by the ship. Cost more, but you'll see the best things an island has to offer and they are reliable. If you're adventurous and know what you want to do on the island (by looking at what the ship offers), just walk off the ship and grab a cab (you wil have NO PROBLEM finding a cab!! They are waiting for suckas). Negotiate the price first as cabs have no meters. Staff on the ship can tell you what you should see on each island, and how much a cab ride should cost to get there. I've fished the port at San Juan and caught jacks off the pier. Lots of ballyhoo (needlefish) that can be caught on microtubes. If you have the right gear, these ballyhoo then make great 'cuda bait! Saw an enormous tarpon cruising the pier at San Juan. I've also used small pieces of banana for bait if you can believe it. Catch some crazy looking fish with that stuff...I'm talking purple and yellow with buck teeth! In St. Thomas its all about the shopping (there are free shuttles from the pier to town). There is also Magen's Bay beach which is very nice if you want to relax (requires a cab ride). There was some major fish busting the surface when we were there, but I had no rod that day. The chairlift halfway between town and where the ships dock gives a nice view and you can get sauced on rum punch at the top. Makes the ride down fun! Enjoy it, a great way to vacation. p.s. order as many entrees or appetizers as you want at dinner, wait staff will get whatever you want in anticipation of their juicy tip from you at the end of the week. And don't believe travel agents who say the tips are included...that's only on booze you order. Make sure you have enough $$$ at the end of the week to tip wait staff, maids etc

[davew3]

I don't know if you will see this. When at St Martin see how much time you have and rent a car or taxi. Go to the north end of the island.

Marigot or Grand Case (great food) also the beach on the north east.

Check out. www. st martin.com.

Have fun.

[irishfield]

Heck TH..live dangerously...go lie on the beach at the end of the runway and let 747's and such land with their wheel gear 10 feet over your head! Just remember to plug your ears! lol

 

If you do hit a beach...take everything with you in a beach bag/backpack...leave nothing in the rental car. The place isn't what it used to be and you may find the car cleaned out on your return.

[Carp]

Have a great trip.

Don't forget the pictures, especially if you do some fishing.

[TAH]

thanks everyone, just hours now and will post pic when I return.

[hawkeye]

I've been to the islands you are going to. Got the cruise bug years ago. I have seen some pic's of the beach at the end of the runway and it looks like you can reach up and grab a wheel as the planes come in.

 

Watch how they calculate tips, some just add it to your bill at the end. The ships are cashless so you will get a bill on the last day, charged to your credit card, and if you don't watch it it will be a whopper.

 

I will say one thing, you will love it. If you get the bug the best way to beat the prices is book early. We book at least a year in advance, get 2 for 1 fares and free air. Use a good TA and remember that the prices are whatever the market will bear. So don't be surprised if they jump around, your TA can help there. If you think you might like something with more interesting stops and a little smaller ships try Oceania

 

2005 Barcelona - Venice

2006 Dover - St Petersburg

2007 Istanbul - Athens (4 months to go)

2008 Sydney - Auckland