I have read that you're allowed to bring on board two bottles of wine or champaigne. Is this true?  I want to bring two bottles of wine on board from Port Canavarel.  Are we allowed to drink this in our room? Is there an ice machine to keep it cold daily? I plan on bringing a soft bag type cooler that folds up in my suitcase to keep my wine in.  Do they charge you to bring it on board?  Will they provide me with a cork screw or can I bring one along in my luggage? 

 Barb

You are allowed 1 bottle per person over the age of 21.  You can drink it in your cabin or if you want too, pour yourself a glass and bring it to dinner with you.  There is no charge to bring the wine on board, If you bring the bottle to dinner and have them open it for you, they might charge you a fee for that.  Just ask your room steward for ice to keep the wine chilled.  Have a great cruise.

Thanks for the information! We can't wait to go!  This is our first cruise so we are really excited, kinda not sure what to expect though!  So glad they have provided these forums for us to chat and get information that we need!

 Barb

SEAL THAT WINE in a leakproof "baggie"!!!!!   No problem bringing one bottle each. Bring your own corkscrew and maybe several of those plastic wine glasses/cups. No charge to bring on board and you can carry it anywhere, anytime.

Consider pre-paying your $10 per day per person tips, it's much easier the final nite and avoids sticker shock on your S&S bill. The friendliness and service are OFTEN so good that people tip the Waiter, Asst Waiter and Room Steward an extra $10 or $20 each the last nite - but not required! (The Maitre d' is NOT included in the pre-paid tips, in case you want/need to tip him - he'll be VERY visible the final nite.). Any soft/hard/beer drinks you order anywhere ALREADY include 15% tip on your S&S card. Bring xtra singles and fives to tip room service and excursion tour guides and bus driver and ferry attendants, etc.

Budget for photos (at least a formal nite photo) $22 for 8x10 and $7 for a "folder" with ship's photo and name. Better coffee & pastries can be purchased in the cafe on the Promenade. alcohol and soft drinks are all extra.

Three bingo cards $20 - usually 3 or 4 games on the same card. Bring a carry-on bag with first nite's clothing, cosmetics and meds; you'll need it the final morning if you put your checked luggage out at midnite. If you have interior room, bring a nitelite. Bring a yellow marker to mark up each day's Caper (save your capers for souvineers). Bring a magnetic strip grocery card (or whatever) so you can lock-up ALL your cards, valuables in the room safe. Bring/carry copies of Birth Certificate and/or passport.

 If you're in line at the cruise terminal by 11:30Am (for 4PM sailing) you should be on board withing an hour; you usually go thru a document check, personal and carry-on X-Ray, then a (long) check-in line but your actual check-in will go quickly if you've already filled-in your Funpass and have your BC/Passport and credit card handy. Then a photo for the S&S card and you're boarding.  See if your room is accessible to drop-off carry-on (usually they'll let you drop-off even if the rooms aren't ready) then head to the Lido buffet for lunch!!!

 Thoroughly read seauonboard.com.  You're ready!!!!!!!!!   ken

Thanks for the info Ken, we plan to be at the port by 10:30 am and since my hubby is disabled we should have VIP service to board the ship sooner because he can't stand or sit too long and walks with a cane most of the time.  This is a trip we are so looking forward too, just not looking forward to the 8 hour drive that will probaly turn into 10 hours due to my hubby having to stop for breaks along the way.   But I will get through it I am sure 

Barb

www.myspace.com/jcnbarb4RN 

They may have wheelchairs available for the checkin part like the airlines.  Maybe call the Carnival or the Port to check

If you are driving to the port, you can take your wine on board in your carry ons.  So much easier than packing it in checked luggage if you don't have to.  It's the airlines that won't let you bring the wine in carry on bags.You should also bring a corkscrew if you are planning to open the wine in your cabin.  If you bring the wine to dinner, they will open it for you and they do charge a corkage fee.

As far as a wheelchair goes, we have always been offered one because my husband cannot stand in the sun due to skin cancer on his face (even with a hat and lots of sun block!).  They always tell us they will meet us with a wheelchair as soon as we arrive at the port and would escort us onto the ship.  So far, we have never needed to request a wheelchair - they just take one look at my husbands surgery scars and walk us right to the front of the line.  They really do take care of their guests.

Be sure to call Carnival before your cruise (ASAP) to let them know you might need a wheelchair so they are ready for you when you arrive.

Which Cruise are you going on?

If you have the option, seriously consider driving the day before, arriving leisurely (or late!) at a local hotel, then drive to the port in the morning and park in the garage there. There's no sense in being too tired to enjoy the first day (afternoon & evening) of your cruise if you can avoid it!!! With your husband's situation, you might want to clean the car of change & valuables before you leave home, and let them do Valet parking, if it's offered there. At Tampa it's literally only a few more $$ a day and they take the car at luggage drop-off and bring it right to you on your return (your final TIP of the trip!).

There's probably going to be 30-40 minutes of standing and shuffling in line that DH might have to endure.  WRT early-boarding, I'd see if your TA/PVP can provide you with some kind of advance paperwork/pass/tag "authorizing" expedited checkin & early boarding (unless you have Cat 11 or 12 stateroom), I don't think "boarding" is the issue - I think avoiding standing in the check-in lines is what you'd like to bypass!!!!!

Probably your only real inconvenience will be the infamous Muster Drill where they go over evacuation procedures - your muster assembly area is clearly identified in your stateroom and there are arrows all over the place showing you the way. Most of the assembly areas are on the Lido Deck near the Lifeboats. They announce the Drill with plenty of notice - you have to scurry to your stateroom, get your lifejackets, note where your muster station is, then scurry up the stairs/elevators with the other 2000 passengers, and make your way to the Muster station, then stand for 15 or 20 minutes. The drill seems to be just as the ship is preparing to cast off or shortly after clearing the harbor, presumably so everyone can watch the ship leaving port. To avoid the cattle call, you might want to head for your stateroom when you board, drop-off your carry-on, check your Muster location, and take your lifejackets with you, then head topside for lunch and sunshine. There's always some who do this; at the cost of maybe looking a little dorky, it saves the cattle rush at the announcment!!!!!!!!! [They DO have jackets stashed on the Lido deck for emergencies and you might in advance explain to one of the crew and ask to use them]. Everyone has to participate, they lock everything up, and hunt avoiders down like dogs!!!!!

If walking is a problem, I'm not sure what excursions would be suitable. But the good news is that the ship will probably be 75% deserted and pretty much yours. Probably the formal dining room will be closed at lunch in port, but that's about all.  If you want a loung chair, you need to get out there early - they go quick. Get to the shows at least 15 minutes early for a decent seat.

You're assigned the same Dining Room and the same Table and the same waiters for the trip. They wait to take orders for everyone at the table to get there, so if you're going to be late or a no-show it's good to let your waiters or your tablemates or the Maitre d' know.  For Breakfast or Lunch in the Dining room they show you to a seat. Many feel breakfast is better in the Lido buffet. Note that there's a made-to-order omlet station in the Buffet for breakfast, and a made-to-order hot sandwich station at lunch - GOOD. there are something like 5 kinds of Pizza and Caesar Salad at the Pizza station. The buffet is carry a tray to various stations, then find a seat.

Since you're in the area anyway, and getting off the ship early, mid-morning you might want to stop at the nearby Kennedy Space center for the day. You can reserve tickets on-line at their website.

ken

Barb,  call carnival or whoever you booked your cruise through and let them know you will need a wheelchair.  We took mom last july and she is wheelchair bound.  We had rented a scooter for her on board, and carnival met us at baggage drop off with a wheelchair.  They should move you to the front of the checkin line.  We just tipped the ported a cpl of dollars for the help. 

I though you were coming down the night before? Did your plans change? Or did I confuse you with someone else? (Lawd knows we had SCADS of responses to our roll call).  I am a nurse, so let me know if you need any assistance onboard. We will be in cabin U41.  Just call or leave a note.

 betty

Ken:

To avoid the cattle call, you might want to head for your stateroom when you board, drop-off your carry-on, check your Muster location, and take your lifejackets with you, then head topside for lunch and sunshine. There's always some who do this; at the cost of maybe looking a little dorky, it saves the cattle rush at the announcment!!!!!!!!!

That's what I plan to do on Thursday, don't want to have to walk up from the Riviera Deck to muster station.  Can't believe it's only 3 days away!

We were just on the Paradise, also a Fantasy class ship, and muster was on the Lido deck.

However, for anyone else looking at muster decks in general...  Not all ships have the muster drill on the Lido deck.  It has always been held on the Atlantic deck on the Pride!

Jeff only needed a wheelchair before he had his back surgery in Dec.  He now walks with a cane and the reason is because he has to catch his balance and over compensates the pain in his back by leaning too much on his left leg and that's why he needs the cane.  But from looking at him he doesn't look disabled even though he is really is.  We have the handicap thing for our vehicles, etc. 

We are coming the day before on the 20th.  We sail on the Sensation on Sunday, September 21, 2008 for 4 nights.  We are in U42 right next to you.   We were told we would hear a lot of noise in that area of the ship with the ship moving in the morning pulling into and out of port by other posters on here.  But our PVP put his there because the elevators are close by for Jeff. 

Barb 

 Hi,

I all so have to walk with a cane some of the time but not always so I don't look like I am disabled. We were on the Triumph in May. I was told to get to the life boat drill early. Don't do that! We are going on another cruise in Oct. I call Carnival they told me to go to the pursers desk and as for a wheelchair just for the life boat drill. It seems the best thing to do. Our life boat drill took 45 minutes that is a lot of standing.

Good luck with the drive! 

I am sure you will have a wonderful time. 

Ken had a lot of good info.

VA_Cruiser:

You are allowed 1 bottle per person over the age of 21. 

Hello, I have one last question about the wine. I know its one bottle per person, however, if my hubby and I (each) have one bottle. Do they have to be in separate carry on bags or can both bottles be in one carry on?

Marge:

Do they have to be in separate carry on bags or can both bottles be in one carry on?

Same carry-on; separate.  Doesn't much matter, and they won't care.

It's primarily a liability issue.  There's statistics which show that among the demographic likely to use Carnival, those who drink wine are not going to swing from the chandeliers while those who drink beer and liquor -- while unlikely to -- are more likely to than wine drinkers.

So, one bottle of wine per, and no beer or liquor.  They reduce their exposure to damages and lawsuits.

And they likely aren't going to quibble about a box of wine if you want to bring one of those, either.  Or if you and your husband bring three bottles between you.  What they're trying to do is create a distinction between "modest" wineage for personal uses and the package store carry-ons for those trying to binge themselves into a stupor and swing from the chandeliers.