Our first cruise with carnival also.  We looked around cosumel and found that we could go to the beaches with just a short taxi ride. 

Caymen island beaches are also close by and free.

in jamica we are a little scared of what we've heard about the local people being hateful to tourist so we thought we would take a ship excursion.  Probably to the waterful cavern deal.

at least those are our thoughts at this point but my wife is spending alot of time looking into all of our options so nothing is in stone yet.

HI JOHN AND JENNIFER...NICE TO MEET YA NO,YOUR'E NOT OBLIGATED TO GO THRU THE SHIP. I DID ONLY BECAUSE BEING A NEWBIE I FELT SAFER. TO TELL YA THE TRUTH I WISH WE WOULD OF WAITED AND CHECKED WITH OUR FELLOW CRUISERS. BUT~~~STILL EXCITED/NERVOUS

Hey all you newbie's not to worry.  When we meet after the muster drill on Sunday afternoon we'll be able to associate faces and names.  Then throughout the cruise all the expereinced cruisers will be available for any help so don't hesitate. .

My wife always laughs at me and calls me "Father Goose" cause I like to take newvbies under my wings.  Knowledge is power so the more questions you ask the more you'll enjoy your cruise.

This will be our 15th cruise,12th on Carnival, and I know we'll have others in our group with a lot of experience too.

On Labor Day I'll post again with my recommendation on the best meeting place to leave Miami.  

LOL~FATHER GOOSE! ACTUALLY THAT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER! THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE ADVICE,LAUGHS,ETC HERB...YOU HAVE HELPED ME OUT BUNCHES...I {WE} SO OWE YOU AND YOUR WIFE A . 

Hi fellow cruisers, been enjoying all the chats. My wife and I can't wait to go on this "our 3rd cruise". Hope to be able to run into some of you on board that is if I can remember all the names.  We're also hoping to have good weather. We've booked the 8pm dinner seating and staying on the panorama deck. Will check back later, got things that need to be done around home.  Less than 16 days Oh Boy!!!  Rusty

HI RUSTYTRACI! NICE TO MEET CHA. HUBBY AND I ARE NEWBIES AND WER'E VERY EXCITED TOO! WE HAVE THE 8:00PM DINNER HR ALSO.OUR ROOM IS ON THE VERANDAH. LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU TOO~I'M TERRIBLE WITH NAMES BUT HOPEFUL WE CAN ALL CONNECT! 

Hey everyone. SIGN US UP!!! Traveling with my wife and another couple. We are from South Florida so should be easy getting to the port. Hopefully no more storms come around. Really looking forward to go on this cruise. It'll be our 1st year anniversary cruise. (actually June was our anniversary). Just found this roll call. We were on CruiseCritics roll call. Sorry were late on signing up.ANYWAYS... GETTING REALLY CLOSE!!!!!... CANT WAIT!!! I was wondering if anyone had any input on a question i have for Cozumel. We're trying to decide over either playa mia or paradise beach. Any suggestions between the two? If anyone is interested about these resorts there links are www.playamia.com & www.paradise-beach-cozumel.com Also, in Jamaica were thinkin' about doing the Dolphin Cove Royal Beach Experience & Falls excursion through Carnival. Its $89 per person but sounds really good. I think were just gonna relax @ grand cayman. Hope to hear and see ya soon.

My mom and I are going to be on this cruise too!  It is our first cruise.  I have a question about excursions.  I see on the excursion page, there is a Mayan Ruins of Tulum excursion that begins at 8:00am.  Will we be able to take an excursion this early?  How early can we plan excursions?  I'd hate to book and pay for an excursion on carnival.com and not be able to go. 

 Can't wait!  Only 2 weeks away!

thanks!

Hannah

 Hannah we're scheduled to dock at 8 a.m. (ship time)  Local time will actually be 7 so you'll have have plently of time.

Hannah, You can book your excursion right away. My wife and I usually book online through local vendors and we've even booked excursions several times directly on the pier (trust me they'll be a lot of vendors selling excursions right on the spot)

The excursions on carnival.com are slightly more expensive than buying direct or at the pier, but for a first time cruiser I'd probably go through Carnival.  There's a special peace of mind knowing that the vendors Carnival uses are first-rate, insured, and have a responsibilty to get you back to the ship safely.  Then on your next cruise you can be a little more adventerous.  

If you book through Carnival and decide to cancel or the ship is late getting to port they'll credit your sail and sign so no money lost.

CALLING ALL 9/7 CRUISERS!

Can you believe that the 9/14 sailing has more posts than us?  Who do they think they are?  This is Un-American.

I think each one of use should post about a dozen times and send our count into the 300's even if we have nothing to say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

That'll also keep our thread on top of the list.

9/7 rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

LOL~~~YUP, 9/7 TOTALLY RULES! I'M SO EXCITED I CAN'T STAND IT. IT SEEMED LIKED FOEVER SINCE WE BOOKED MAY 1ST AND NOW IT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER~~~WHOO HOO~

OK I PROMISE NOT TO POST A DOZEN TIMES IN A ROW~LOL,BUT WITHOUT RE-READING EVERYTHING YOUV'E HELPED US WITH {AND I PRINTED } CAN YOU POST AGAIN WHERE WERE GONNA MEET??? SHOULD WE WEAR NAME TAGS~ROFLMBO! THIS IS GONNA BE EXCITING!

HI JULIO AND KARINA! MY HUBBY {CHRIS} AND I ARE DOWN HERE IN SW FL TOO. WER'E ABOUT HALF AN HR FROM FT MYERS. WHERE YOU AT APPROXIMATELY? WE BOOKED ALL OUR EXCURSIONS THRU CARNIVAL~JUST FELT SAFER AS A NEWBIE,LIKE HERB SAID WE CAN BE MORE ADVENTEROUS NEXT TIME. REALLY EXCITED AND A LIL NERVOUS TOO~LESS THAN 14 DAYS!!! WHOO HOO LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU BOTH!

HI HANNAH! I'M DENISE,HUBBY IS CHRIS...SO NICE TO MEET YOU.WE BOOKED OUR EXCURSIONS THRU CARNIVAL ALSO. I JUST FELT SAFER AS IT'S MY FIRST CRUISE AND IT'S BEEN FOREVER SINCE CHRIS TOOK ONE. HE ACTUALLY WORKED FOR A CRUISELINES {EMERALD SEAS} MANY YRS AGO. HE WAS A RESERVATIONS OPERATOR. NEEDLESS TO SAY HE'S TAKEN  A FEW,BUT THAT WAS BEFORE WE WERE "US" LOL.HE'S MOSTLY BEEN TO BERMUDA/BAHAMAS. FOR SOME REASON HE'S REALLY INTO "MEXICO" ON THIS CRUISE? I KEEP ASKING IS IT BECAUSE "WHAT HAPPENS IN MEXICIO STAYS IN MEXICO" LOL. SEE YOU SOON

 Denise, I was going to post our meeting site again on Monday--Labor Day so it wouldn't get lost in the hundreds of messages.  Let me know if you think that works.

You know I hadn't even thought about the name tags, but it sounds like a good idea.  I'll pick some up.

Looking forward to meeting everybody.  It'll be a blast.  By the time our cruise is over our arms will fall off from waving at everyone we know.  One happy family.