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Heartstrings

(7,349 posts)
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 09:16 PM Jan 2020

Going on my first cruise on the Carnival Horizon departing 1-18/1-24

Ports include;
Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Cozumel, Mexico

This was a birthday gift from my daughter and we’ll be traveling together, then spending a few days in So. Beach.

Any experienced cruisers have any “must do or take” tips?

Thanks,
‘Strings

33 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Going on my first cruise on the Carnival Horizon departing 1-18/1-24 (Original Post) Heartstrings Jan 2020 OP
Enjoy! snowybirdie Jan 2020 #1
I have done both a dolphin excursion and a manatee avebury Jan 2020 #8
Guess I've been influenced snowybirdie Jan 2020 #11
My husband and I went to Cozumel on our "trial" cruise to see how we like cruising csziggy Jan 2020 #13
Thanks for all the info everyone! Heartstrings Jan 2020 #21
I'm interested to see the responses. GP6971 Jan 2020 #2
Been on 20 or so over the years snowybirdie Jan 2020 #3
Yes, I never tire of watching waves washed in moonlight at140 Jan 2020 #10
We have a stateroom with a private deck, Heartstrings Jan 2020 #23
Haha you can sun topless on your private balcony! at140 Jan 2020 #29
Travel well, amigas. LakeArenal Jan 2020 #4
Haha! You funny! Heartstrings Jan 2020 #22
I like you. LakeArenal Jan 2020 #24
I like you, too! Heartstrings Jan 2020 #25
Bon voyage... have fun!! InAbLuEsTaTe Jan 2020 #5
Thank you! Heartstrings Jan 2020 #20
Carnival has comedy clubs on their avebury Jan 2020 #6
Thanks for all the advice, avebury! Heartstrings Jan 2020 #19
Skip the extra cost restaurants! at140 Jan 2020 #7
You are correct snowybirdie Jan 2020 #12
Thanks both of you! Heartstrings Jan 2020 #18
Bring sunscreen. madaboutharry Jan 2020 #9
Will do, madaboutharry! Heartstrings Jan 2020 #17
You're going to have fun - so have fun. TomSlick Jan 2020 #14
I will do that, TomSlick! Thank you! Heartstrings Jan 2020 #16
Adore cruising Olafjoy Jan 2020 #15
Thanks, olafjoy! Heartstrings Jan 2020 #26
Have good trip. RandySF Jan 2020 #27
I still think Heartstrings Jan 2020 #30
lol EX500rider Jan 2020 #32
LOL! Heartstrings Jan 2020 #33
Don't drink the water rickford66 Jan 2020 #28
Nope! Heartstrings Jan 2020 #31

snowybirdie

(5,664 posts)
1. Enjoy!
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 09:21 PM
Jan 2020

Don't listen to naysayers. Cruising is great for folks of a certain age. My advice. Wait til last day to purchase items from ship stores. They always go on sale then. P S Cozumal isn't worth getting off. Take advantage of reduced prices in spa that day.

avebury

(11,076 posts)
8. I have done both a dolphin excursion and a manatee
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 09:39 PM
Jan 2020

encounter in Couzemel. There is also a neat site that has miniatures of a lot of the historical sites in Mexico. And there are beaches that you can take a taxi too. I wouldn’t write Couzeel off.

snowybirdie

(5,664 posts)
11. Guess I've been influenced
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 09:56 PM
Jan 2020

by Cozumal today and the was it was in 1983. It was a small, lovely village that had the charming feel of old Mexico. Loved it! Today it's a shoppers paradise with everyone looking for a way to take your money, including stealing our credit card numbers. Better to do the cruise tours away from town.

csziggy

(34,189 posts)
13. My husband and I went to Cozumel on our "trial" cruise to see how we like cruising
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 10:14 PM
Jan 2020

I agree with you about the town. We wanted to take one of the excursions to one of the Mayan sites, but because my mobility was limited by back problems we ended up taking the submarine tour to see the reefs. It was fun and we enjoyed seeing things that we would never be able to see otherwise.

GP6971

(33,280 posts)
2. I'm interested to see the responses.
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 09:22 PM
Jan 2020

We're going on our first cruise on the Carnival Glory in late April...yes, the one that hit the Carnival Legend while docking in Cozumel last month.

snowybirdie

(5,664 posts)
3. Been on 20 or so over the years
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 09:26 PM
Jan 2020

Booked for another one in April. Enjoy the pampering and get away without hassles. A balcony is great, but anywhere in the ship to watch the sea is so soothing.

at140

(6,136 posts)
10. Yes, I never tire of watching waves washed in moonlight
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 09:42 PM
Jan 2020

and the sunsets over ocean are the best. The oceans are so vast, it blow my mind.
Earth is covered with far more water than land. Best time to walk on open top decks is after dark.
Because it is never hot and unending breezes.

Heartstrings

(7,349 posts)
23. We have a stateroom with a private deck,
Tue Jan 14, 2020, 12:02 AM
Jan 2020

it’s going to be beautiful!

Thanks for all the advice everyone!

at140

(6,136 posts)
29. Haha you can sun topless on your private balcony!
Tue Jan 14, 2020, 10:57 AM
Jan 2020

We usually get the inside cabins, being the cheapest. We are only there to sleep and take a shower and change clothes. There are so many large public areas on a large ship to lounge around and stay active.

One of our recent cruise was on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas ship. It actually had an area called Central Park, where they had a forest of live trees and bushes, and had birds living there! And the ship had great shows on ice skating rink the size of a 1500 SF ranch house, a place to water ski, and whole bunch of other stuff. The ship carries 6000 passengers, yet there were no lines for anything!

LakeArenal

(29,842 posts)
4. Travel well, amigas.
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 09:27 PM
Jan 2020

Lots of folks will be waiting for you!!

Oh and don’t forget the big deposit you want to leave in the Cayman banks.

avebury

(11,076 posts)
6. Carnival has comedy clubs on their
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 09:36 PM
Jan 2020

ships so I would recommend catching a show. The later shows tend to be R rated just FYI.

Once they created the pick your own dining time I chose that for greater flexibility for shipboard activities.

In Grand Caymans swimming with the Stingrays was fun and the water was gorgeous. You will find different flavors of rum cake there as well.

If the water is rough, the turtle place is really neat. I have done a zip line tour on Jamaica and that was a blast.

Most important rule - don’t miss the ship. YouTube has lots of pier runner videos.

There is an outdoor shopping area that has a Bubba Gump Restaurant in Miami. You can also pick up a short boat tour in that area that sails around some islands pointing which houses are owned by famous people. It is fun and I have done it twice.

at140

(6,136 posts)
7. Skip the extra cost restaurants!
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 09:36 PM
Jan 2020

The main dining room has lots of great food on menu. No need to pay $30 more for a meal.

Do not over pack! The ship is kept spotlessly clean, clothes do not get dirty.
The days of formal dress nights are disappearing.

Do not over-eat. It is easy to do because there is so much free food available. Be sure to pack Tums.
Do lot of walking, which burns up extra calories and then you can eat some more haha.

Coffee & Tea is free, but pop and booze are extra cost. Booze prices have gone up.

Do not miss the evening shows. Get to the theater 20-30 minutes before show time to get better seats.

5-7 day cruises are the best vacation value around. We have done around 30, we started going before kids came, took kids when they were 5 and 3 years old and they always had a great time and only time we saw them was at meals during the whole day.


TomSlick

(11,949 posts)
14. You're going to have fun - so have fun.
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 10:33 PM
Jan 2020

Eat what you want - drink what you want. Go ashore at every port.

Catch a sunrise and a sunset from the upper deck.

Hug your daughter often.

Heartstrings

(7,349 posts)
16. I will do that, TomSlick! Thank you!
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 11:56 PM
Jan 2020

She and I have traveled together to London for an Eric Clapton concert in Hyde Park, LA for a Clapton concert at the Forum, Phuket and Bangkok Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo just for the fun of it! We travel pretty well together.....

Olafjoy

(937 posts)
15. Adore cruising
Mon Jan 13, 2020, 11:53 PM
Jan 2020

Find it very relaxing. I agree with “don’t miss the boat” If you go on your own tour or excursion, be sure to account for traffic back to ship, esp. if multiple ships in port. If you are on a cruise sponsored excursion, relax, they will never leave without you. Have a blast!! Sounds awesome!!

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