Spring Break 2016 - Cruising 101

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For the second Spring Break in a row we have decided to take the kids on a cruise.

Since we live in Florida it is only a four hour drive to the Port Canaveral and these days it seems cheaper than a hotel at Panama City Beach, FL or Destin, FL.

Jeff and I went on our first cruise for our Honeymoon in 2001. We didn't have a clue about anything! I had never stepped foot on a cruise ship and truth be known I do not think at the time I knew anyone that had been on a cruise.

Well, when 'ol Jeff booked the cruise the travel agent was so nice. She was able to give him an upgrade. How exciting! First cruise and upgraded. This is going to be the best trip ever!

When we get there we found our Oceanview room on the Lido deck. At least I think that was the name. Anyway, whatever it was called, it was the deck that allowed the guests to walk all around the entire ship. Essentially it the walking track. Needless to say, having this upgraded Oceanview room was not the ideal situation. Every time we looked out the window, it never failed, someone would walk by.

So, that was our first experience. Since this will be our 6th cruise we have come to understand the cruise thing a little more. We have cruised on Royal Caribbean and Carnival.

Well, we do not understand everything. I could tell you the lengthy story about a cruise where we were supposed port at Cancun but due to a hurricane we ended up in Progresso, Mexico but I will spare you this time.



For this entry I'll introduce you to our 'crew', tell you about our room choices, the drink cards, the kids camp, what documents you need, parking and the itinerary.



Who's going?

There are a total of 10 if us going on this cruise. Sounds like a lot of people but it's really just three families. There will be four adults and six kids.

The Starlings (duh) - Me, Jeff, Kirby (12) and Timmy (9). This will be Kirby's fourth cruise and Timmy's third cruise. Spoiled much?? The boys really enjoy cruising.

Timmy's favorite meal is breakfast. He will go right up to the breakfast area and eat some pancakes and then get an ice cream cone. Hey, we are on vacation!

As Kirby has gotten older I think he likes the independence he's allowed on the boat. He can go to the teen camp and sign himself in and out. His favorite part of the last cruise was Starbucks. Yep, Royal Caribbean has a Starbucks. This is where he learned what a Mocha Frappuccino was and things have never been the same since.

Jeff and I both like the casino and all the shows.

The Gonatos - Cheryl, Brooke (11) and Nicole (9). Last year Cheryl was the one that thought of a Spring Break cruise. We loved it so much we are going to do it again!

Not sure what Brooke and Nicole's favorite part of the cruise was the last time but they had fun at the pool, enjoyed the shows and we always had a blast at dinner with them. They are always up for an adventure so it's fun to travel or cruise with them. They are definitely 'go with the flow' girls.

Last Spring Break we went on Royal Caribbean. We are so excited to show them what the Carnival cruise has to offer.

The Blumes - Lori, Conner (12), Mackenzie (9). Cheryl and I met Lori and her twin sister Kim in high school. Being a twin when we were growing up was a novelty. I think there were about five sets of twins that we were around in school growing up.

Since Lori has moved back to Tallahassee we have started to get to know each other as grown ups. It is always nice to find a girlfriend that can relate to this child rearing thing and will 'wine' about it with you from time to time.

This will be Conner and Mack's first time on a cruise. We are so excited for them! They are going to have a blast!



Room Selection

On mine and Jeff's first cruise we had an Oceanview room (see story above). On the second cruise with our friends Jen and Chris we were upgraded to a balcony (very pleasant surprise) . Our third cruise I can't remember what room we had. Kirby was only two years old so I do not think we had a balcony. Our fourth we had an extended balcony suite (AWESOME!) and the last cruise we had a regular balcony room.

For this cruise we chose to go back to an Oceanview room. We have liked having a balcony room in the past but we have found that we never spend as much time on the balcony as we thought we would. It does make you feel like there is more space in the room then there actually is so that is a plus.

Don't get me wrong, a balcony is nice. It is fun to stand on the balcony and watch the cruise push off into the ocean. On most cruise ships you are allowed to carry one bottle (can't remember if it is per person or per room) of wine or champagne so it has been fun in the past to have a champagne toast on the balcony as we depart.

My favorite story is when we had the extended balcony suite and we were docked in Freeport.

We had gone on an excursion to a private beach in Freeport. It was great! By some stroke of luck we were on the first bus to the beach and we got the best seats on the beach. Our waitress waited on us hand and foot, the life guards entertained the kids and the crew on the beach entertained us with random dances. We loved Bob! Bob isn't his real name and we totally called him on that. His girl-friend laughed so hard when she found out he told us his name was Bob. It was the best excursion I had ever been on. The beach day ended and we were on the first bus back to the boat. Listen, this stroke of 'first on, first back' never happens to us. We will call in 'honeymoon luck' for Tim and Laura.

We got back up to the room and it just so happened that our balcony was facing the dock so we could watch all the drunk people walk onto the boat.

There were two entrances to the boat but you were only allowed to enter in the second entrance not the first. We assumed that the first entrance was for the crew.

Every couple of people you would see one person that was adamant about entering the first entrance and their friend (or whomever) would have to pull them away from arguing with a crew member and dragging them to the second entrance.

As we were watching people walk onto the boat I might have also seen some of my new friends that we had met at the dance club the night before. He, he. They'd holler, 'hey, will you be at the club tonight? Whoop, whoop!'. Ahhh, my kids are so proud of their friendly momma.

Anywho, then you would see a group walking together and there was always one that would not be walking so properly and the other friends tending to them.

I am pretty sure we were late to dinner because we just couldn't pull ourselves from 'the show'.

Oh man, I'm gonna miss a balcony!

Lori has a balcony so if it is parked any where near a dock Kirby and I are going to watch 'the show'. It is way fun to watch the people run to the boat when it is close to the departure time. For her kids first cruise I think it is a good choice for them to have a balcony.

I have read reviews about how people have been disappointed with rooms on both Carnival and Royal Caribbean. I personally have never had a bad room experience. The suites are defiantly worth the money if you are on an extended cruise but for this little 4 day/3 night cruise the Oceanview is plenty.

Even though the showers do offer a shampoo/conditioner combo and a body wash we always bring our own. We also bring our own hangers. Since we are a family of four we have found it handy to bring a few extra hangers.

If you are going on a cruise you will have to check the 'what not to bring' list because I do not think you are allowed to bring a hairdryer or an iron. I don't us either so doesn't bother me any 😊



Dinner

There are a couple of dinner options. You can pick a scheduled dinner time or you can choose what is called a 'dine anytime'. As far back as I can remember we have always chosen the early dinner.

These days it is mainly because of the kids. There is no way that our kids would last until an 8 pm dinner. Plus, when you are traveling with a larger group it is nice to know that you have a set dinner time and you can always catch up at dinner if you go your separate ways during the day.

I really do not know anything about 'dine anytime' so I can't speak to that option. You can always read about that on whatever cruise line you decide to go on.

I have personally never met a member of the wait staff that I didn't like. They have got to be the friendliest people on the planet.

On our last Royal Caribbean cruise the wait staff tended to the kids like they were royalty. As a parent it makes your heart smile to see the kids faces light up as they get the royal treatment every dinner service. Oreo milkshakes all around!

I am an F-A-N of food and I haven't been disappointed in the dining room. The only thing I will say that differs from Carnival and Royal Caribbean is that RC does offer a portion of the menu that you can pay for. I do not think that RC's menu changed much daily but I know the Carnival's does. I'd have to look my old paperwork to confirm. Yep, I'm that hoarder that saves paperwork from cruises. Don't ask me why. I never look at it after the cruise.

There is always a formal night. You can take that as far as you want. I wore a formal dress and Jeff wore a full on suit in our first couple of cruise but we have calmed it down to a nice church attire these days.

It's always fun to see the staff perform a dance routine. You end up getting to know the wait staff and when they break into song and dance it like your friend jumped on stage after a night of drinking and all you want to do is cheer them on. The kids get a kick out of the performance every time.

You do not have to eat in the dining room but we always make a point to because it is a meeting spot for our group and the wait staff on either cruise line is always top notch.

If you are traveling with multiple rooms and you want to eat together you need to call the cruise line prior to your departure date to ensure you guys are sat together. You might be able to make those arrangements on the boat but I wouldn't chance that. I'd advise to make those arrangements prior.

If you are traveling with just you an another person they will sit you with people you do not know. We have enjoyed that in the past. When my parents cruise they are always sat with other people. They always talk about their new friends after each cruise. If you do not want to be seated with people I would also call the cruise line prior and let them know you want a table by yourselves. I have never done that but I have seen couples dining alone.



Kids Camp

I cannot speak to the Royal Caribbean kids camp because our kids walked in and walked back out of the camp. They would not step foot in the camp. I never got a real reason out of them but I think mine were so spoiled by the Carnival camp that they didn't the Carnival vibe and walked right on out. The kids hung out with us the whole RC cruise and it was fine. We all had a great time together.

Kirby's first cruised he was two years old. He was just getting the hang of potty training. He would eat dinner with us in the dining room but after dinner we would place him into the Carnival camp so we would have a couple of hours to roam around the ship and do adult things.

The problem that we had was that the staff was not completely on board with the potty training thing and we did pick him up wet more than once and the staff did not have a clue. That was a little disappointing but looking back I think we could have explained a little bit more to the staff before dropping him off. Other than that we felt comfortable that the staff had our child's safety and happiness in mind.

Oh, I will tell you that on Carnival they had a kiddie pool at the back of the boat that was so nice. It was a secluded pool for the little ones away from the hustle and bustle.

The next cruise we went on Kirby was 10 and Timmy was 7.

Kirby took on step into the Carnival kids camp and that was sold. He loved it.

At one point I walked into the camp and told Kirby that we were going to the family comedy show. He said, 'Um, I have my own comedy show right here.' I said, 'No really, are you coming with us?'. He said, 'No really, I'm staying here.'. Well alrighty then Mr. Man! He would eventually end up at dinner or in the room (b/c at that age he can check himself in and out with our permission). One time he blew past us while he was on a scavenger hunt. Hello, goodbye!

So needless to say, Kirby cannot wait until he steps foot back into the 'Circle C'.

Timmy on the other hand is a different story. When he went on his first cruise he was 7. For those that do not Tim he is terrified of balloons. I mean crazy scared of balloons.

There is a point in time when you take your kids to the camps and the parents and children get to meet and greet the camp counselors. When we walked into Tim's meet and greet they were passing a balloon around in a circle. Well, the balloon popped. That boy ran out of that room and down the hall. Uh, he's never been on a boat, he doesn't know where he was going, he was just running! I am now running after him and I have left Kirby somewhere.

They actually made Tim a nametag and on the back it said 'balloons'. Ha! Well, they wasted a nametag on that kid because he we couldn't pay him to step foot back into the camp.

It is not Carnival's fault. Their camps are really top notch.

For the most part the camps are free. There are times when the have projects that cost but it's always been less than $10.

If you want the camps to watch your children after 10pm that is normally a cost. Most cruise lines watch them until1am or later. It varies by cruise line. I know is a shocker but we haven't ever done an after midnight pick up. #parentingwin



Packing

Our family rule is that you can pack one suitcase and bring one carry-on (that you are responsible for). I try to let the kids pack themselves but I always end up going behind them and redoing their outfits but at least they are attempting packing.

I pack an outfit for the morning, an outfit for the evening, a pair of jeans, a jacket (b/c I get cold everywhere), two bathing suits, a pair of pajamas and a workout outfit. No, I don't work out on the cruise ship. That's normally my 'riding home' outfit.

This time I might have packed 8 pairs of shoes.

On this cruise they are having a 'white party' so we all brought semi-white outfits. I found out about this because I looked one of the e-mails that Carnival sent. It contained a packing list.

The packing list was pretty spot on. I thought it was interesting that they suggested bringing a power strip because each room has only one outlet. We have never found the need to bring a power strip because we turn off all of our electronics when we get on the ship.

When you get to the port you need to check your baggage and they will deliver the suitcases to your room, eventually. Sometimes the bags get there right away but sometimes it takes time.

At Carnival you can buy some sort of fast pass. This option allows you to skip the lines and your baggage is expedited to your room. We haven't ever had a bad wait time so we have not ever purchased this option.

Since the kids will want to swim right away I pack our bathing suits in my backpack along with anything else we would like quick access to.

I always pack a medicine bag, nail file, nail clippers and finger nail polish (what if you break a nail?!). The most important item I pack is our lanyards.

When you get on the boat they give you a Sign and Sail Card. This is your room key, your beverage card (we will get to that later) and what you use for any expenses incurred on the boat (which there are plenty!).

When you get on the boat you can get a bartender to punch a hole in your Sign and Sail Card and you can attach it to your lanyard. We have found the lanyard with a clip is easier because when they have to swipe your card you just hand them the whole lanyard. You can get one of those lanyards that has the plastic pocket but then you have to unstick it from the plastic and the possibility of the kids losing a lose card are greater.

You might also want to bring some room deodorizer. I won't elaborate on that subject.

That's all I can think of in the packing area.



Beverage Card

Oh here is the best subject! The are sometimes called Replenishment Packages. Since the only beverages that are included on the boat is water, a few juices and unsweet tea they sell a drink package. You can either choose a non-alcoholic package or an alcohol package.

Royal Caribbean and Carnival differ when it comes to beverage cards.

RC offers levels for the drink packages. The lowest package includes sodas and juices, the middle package includes a little more and the highest package pretty much allows you to drink anything liquid that exists on the boat.

The kids absolutely LOVED the drink packages. They give you a special cup and they have Coca-Cola freestyle machines in various locations on the boat. You just walk up to the machines and you then move along your way. The kids were also able to get virgin daiquiris at the pool and milk shakes for an after dinner treat. The kicker is that there is a Starbucks on the boat and this was included in the package we bought for the kiddos. That barista enjoyed introducing them to Frappacinos!

The Carnival drink package for the kids isn't as exciting as the RC beverage card. It basically only includes sodas and juices but the limitation in the drinks in reflected in the price. It's only $6 per day.

Each cruise we purchase the drink cards. It just makes things easy and it gives you the freedom to order a drink whenever and wherever.

There are limits to the drink cards so read the fine print. Carnival limits you to 15 alcoholic drinks in one day. Props to the person that reaches that limit! They also have a rule that if one adult in the cabin purchases a drink card then all adults in the cabin must purchase a drink card. This is the first time I have ever heard that rule but I get it.

I've had friends that have not purchased drink cards and they have totally been fine the whole cruise.

It's just our preference to purchases the cards.

Both cruise lines give you a special cup when you purchase the card. Since we travel with so many people we have come up with the bright idea to bring vinyl deals wit us. Oh, I am so excited about this genius idea! I will post a picture in the next blog.



Other things


• Documents needed - You do not need a passport to go on a cruise. That is because the leave from a United States port and they return to a US port. I was either told that by an agent or I read it somewhere. On all of our cruises we have only used our drivers licenses and birth certificates. I'm a little whacky so I also take our marriage license. This time we will be using our passports because we actually have passports (see: www.mytb.org/starlingsacrossthepond). My parents have used the passport card for years now.
• Parking - You can park at the cruise line parking deck or lot or can you use a nearby parking company. We have done both. Obviously when you use the cruise line lots they are twice the price. For this cruise the cost for the Carnival parking garage would be $60. We used www.parkportcarnival.comand we were only charged $38.
• 72 - 48 hours prior to the cruise - you want to go online and go through the check-in process. You will enter your travel arrangements, you identification information (passport number or birth certificate number), sign waivers and sign the kids up for their camps. It is painless and takes about 15 minutes. At the end you will print out your boarding pass and your luggage tags. When you are packed you follow the instructions on the paper luggage tags and staple them to your luggage. It's kind of genius! You will also want to purchase your beverage cards prior to getting on the boat. For Carnival there is a $5 difference for the adult drink package.


Itinerary

For this cruise we will be leaving out of Port Canaveral at4 pm. We are allowed to board the boat at 12:30pm.

We will arrive in Nassau, Bahamas and we will be allowed to depart the boat at Noon. We will have to be back on the boat by 8 pm. While we are in Nassau we are taking the kids to the Atlantis Waterpark. We did not buy this excursion through the cruise line. We bought it directly from http://www.bahamasdaypass.com.

The last day on the ship will be a day at sea.

We will arrive back at Port Canaveral the last day around 8am and we will be off the boat by 10am.



There is lots more to talk about and I will try to cover as much as I can in the next blogs.

Hope you have found this helpful.

Happy cruising!

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