My first cruise was last May and I'm back looking to book another for May 2010. My hubbie and I spent around $700 onboard, which included drinks, photos, light shopping and casino. We had maybe 3-4 drinks during the day, and then several at night (we spent alot of time in the nightclub...lots of fun). I was surprised our tab wasnt more. Drinks ...

We paid $20 for a tour through Atlantis and ran into my tablemates, who had paid I think $80/pp for the same tour through Carnival.Plus, the Carnival van just dumps you off at Atlantis and you may have to wait for a ride out. Our guy stayed with us the entire time and even took us to a local bar for great conch salad. I was so glad ...

No irons, but we got a travel steamer from Walmart and it worked great. My husband steamed out his entire suit, which was really wrinkled because we didn't carry a hanging bag.

Tip about shopping in port: buy things that you either can't get at home or for lower prices than at home. There is no point in buying a Coach bag in Nassau for $15 less than in the US just to be able to say you got it in Nassau.

No Serenity deck. But go all the way up where the putt putt and walking track is. There are plenty of chairs there that overlook the pool deck but u don't have the crowds, noise, people walking around and thru u. It's quiet and the perfect spot to nap.

Russ is so dead on! I tell my hubbie what he's wearing and that's that...lol

I don't see the big deal about jumping into a pool you can't really swim in the moment you get on the ship. There is plenty of time to stand in 4 ft of water. Get on the ship, have lunch. You can hit the grove buffet, the great salad bar, sandwich station or pizza station (which has the best veggie pizza I've ever had). Then walk ...

Your dress can be as formal as you want your pictures to be. When we went in May, the formal night dress varied. Fortunately my table all dressed elegantly. I saw some who should have just hit the buffet

You spend the same amount you would if you went out to a club or bar and partied. I thought the drink prices were reasonable. 6.95 for 12-13 oz drink? Great for me! If you get a specialty or top shelf liquor it will cost u a little more than that, same as in any bar.

The joke is that the towels on the chairs are put there by people thinking that if they put a towel down, they can hold the chair forever. The pool area is crowded. My husband joked one day that the doors to the lido deck slide open, and he fell over someone...lol.  The pool gets so crowded at times that it looks like a big bathtub. Not ...