29 Things You Should Know Before Cruising Carnival

Much has evolved in the world of cruising. These floating islands seem to continually expand as cruise lines compete for the biggest and largest ships on their fleet. For cruise lovers everywhere, this means more fun, more food, more shows and more things to do!

Are you pondering on booking your first cruise on Carnival? Here are some things you should know before cruising Carnival. Bon Voyage!

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#1 Bring Your Travel Documents

When cruising, remember to bring all your travel documents. Online check in requires you to enter your information ahead of time to facilitate the embarkation process, but you still have to bring them with you otherwise you will be denied boarding. Carnival will not refund your cruise fare if this happens.

Acceptable Travel Documents For Cruising:

a. Valid passport

• Make sure you have a current passport that is at least 6 months from expiration.
• Valid for land, sea and air travel
• Bring this if you have one. You might need it if you ever miss your ship and need to fly to the next port, or if you need to leave your cruise because of a personal emergency.

b. Passport card

• Valid only for land & sea, but not air travel between the US, Canada & Caribbean islands.
• “Closed-loop” cruises only (or cruises that begins and ends in same US port)

c. State Enhanced Driver’s License

• Valid only for land & sea, but not air travel between the US, Canada & Caribbean islands.
• Issued only by some states to US & Canadian citizens only
• “Closed-loop” cruises only

d. Certificate of US Naturalization

• “Closed-loop” cruises only.

e. Birth Certificate with Government Issued Photo ID

• “Closed-loop” cruises only

#2 Dining and Beverage Packages

There’s a plethora of great food & drinks available that is already included in your cruise fare. This includes buffet-style dining at the Lido Deck, a la carte dining at the Main Dining Room(MDR), pizza, soft-served ice cream, non-bottled water, lemonade, iced tea, hot cocoa, and non specialty coffee and tea.

What’s Not included: Specialty Restaurants, Steakhouse Selections at MDR, alcoholic and non alcoholic bar beverages.

Dining Packages

• Only on Carnival Horizon as of Feb 2019 (subject to change)
• Priced at $60 per person. You will be given 3 vouchers. One redeemable at the steakhouse, and two ($15) vouchers toward your meal at Bonsai Sushi, Cucina del Capitano, JiJi Asian Kitchen, or Pig & Anchor.

MDR Dining Times

At the time of your booking, you can choose dining times at the MDR between Early (6pm seating), Late (8:15pm seating) , and Your Time Dining (any time between 5:45-9pm). This will be printed on your guest Sail & Sign Card as well.

24-hour room service has both free and paid food & drink items on their menu. You can also order wine by the bottle with a maximum of 2 bottles per stateroom per day

Cheers! Drink Package

Cheers! must be purchased for the entire voyage. You must be 21 years or older. This package can not be shared, so each adult in stateroom must purchase Cheers! With it, you can enjoy 15 alcoholic beverages valued at $20 or less per day.

You can get it cheaper pre-cruise at $51.95 per person per day plus 18% gratuity by visiting Funshops online or by calling (800)522-7648 between 9am-9pm ET. On board, it is available at $56.95 per person per day at any bar.

Cheers! also allows you to enjoy the following drinks unlimited on your cruise:

• Virgin frozen cocktails
• Sodas and juices
• Specialty coffees
• Milkshakes
• Energy and sports drinks, Coconut Water and Honest Tea
• Bottled water

Bottomless Bubbles Package

The Bottomless Bubbles Package allows you to have unlimited soda for $8.50 per person per day for adults and $5.95 per person per day for children. There is also a 5-minute wait between drinks.

Bottled Water

Bottled water can be ordered pre-cruise by visiting Fun Shops.

• $4.50 USD (plus an 18% delivery fee) for a 12-pack of bottled water (16.9 fluid ounce bottle)
• $3.75 USD (plus an 18% delivery fee) for 1 large bottled water (50.72 fluid ounce bottle)
• $20.00 USD (plus an 18% delivery fee) for 8-pack of bottled water (50.72 fluid ounce bottle)  

#3 Luggage Tags

You must affix a Carnival luggage tag to each bag before you give it to a porter if you want your bags delivered to your stateroom. Luggage tags are available on the last page of your cruise documents, and can be accessed online in your booking documents. You can also purchase luggage tag holders to keep them protected during transport.

#4 Ground Transportation

Plenty of options are available that can take you from the airport to your port of embarkation and back.

Here are some popular options to choose from:
a. Carnival Cruise Line Ground Transport
– Purchase can be done through Manage My Bookings on Carnival.com, or by contacting Carnival Reservations. Click here for more information.
b. Limo, SUV and Van rental service
c. Metered Taxi
d. Uber
e. Third party shuttle service (Recommended)
f. Bus (Most economical)

#5 Limited Electrical Outlets

Each stateroom has one electric outlet located at the desk. The outlet is equipped with a 3-prong 110 volt (North America Grounded) and a 220 volt (Europe German-Style). On the Mardi Gras, there are three outlets located at the desk. The outlet in the bathroom can only be used for electric razors.

Multi box outlets/adaptors and extension cords (without surge protectors) are allowed on board when used with proper caution. You can also use a European power adapter.

#6 WiFi

Carnival has several ways to get you connected to the internet via satellite.

Social WiFi Plan

• Only works on social media apps and sites.
• Priced at $6.80 per day if purchased pre-cruise, and $8 per day if purchased on-board.

Value Wifi Plan

• Works on social media apps and sites with an additional support for surfing other websites
• Does not support video streaming or video chats
• Priced at $10.20 per day if purchased pre-cruise, and $12 per day if purchased on-board. 24-hour plan is also available at $16 per day)

Premium WiFi Plan

All the benefits of the Value WiFi plan plus the following benefits:

• 3 times faster internet connection
• Supports Skype calling where coverage allows.
• Does not support video and music streaming (i.e., Netflix*, Hulu, Spotify, Pandora), cellular-network-dependent Wi-Fi calling and FaceTime services. Note: Carnival Vista, Carnival Horizon and Carnival Sunrise are Netflix enabled, so you can use the Netflix app and your Netflix account to watch your favorite shows
• Priced at $14.45 per day if purchased pre-cruise, and $17 per day if purchased on-board. 24-hour plan is also available at $25 per day)

#7 Excursions

Booking your excursions through Carnival offers the following advantages:
a. Shore Excursion Best Price Guarantee
– 110% refund in the form of a shipboard credit should consumers find a better price on a comparable excursion
b. Shore excursion tickets are delivered to the guest’s stateroom prior to embarkation
c. If there are unforeseen delays with your excursion like a flat tire or mechanical problems, the ship will wait for you. However, don’t forget to come back as scheduled or at least an hour before the ship departs. Apart from the instances mentioned above, if you are late, the ship will leave you behind and you’ll be forced to take a plane to your next port at your expense.

#8 Laundry Services

As a safety measure, guests are not allowed to iron their clothes in the stateroom. However, Carnival offers ways to enjoy these services to keep your clothes fresh and wrinkle free during formal nights. Otherwise, a wrinkle releaser always come in handy.

Self-Service Launderettes

• Located on staterooms decks with 2 or 3 washers, 2 or 3 dryers, and 1 iron and ironing board in each launderette.
• Cost is $3.25 per washer load and $3.25 per dryer load charged to your Sail and Sign Card. On some ships, only coins are accepted.
• Each launderette has a vending machine that dispenses small boxes of detergent and water softener at $1.50 per box. 

Valet Laundry

a. 2-Day Service

b. Regular Next Day
– Handed in before 9:00am and returned at 5:00pm next day

c. Express Same Day
– Handed in before 9:00am and returned at 5:00pm same day
– Price is 50% more of listed price, valet or dry cleaning

d. Pressing Only
– 80% of listed valet price for each level of service

#9 Cruise Cabin Types

a. Inside Staterooms
– No natural light but the least expensive

b. Porthole and Obstructed View Cabins
– Has natural light but the view is blocked by lifeboats or shipboard equipment.

c. Ocean View Staterooms
– Has natural light and an unobstructed view of the ocean

d. Balcony Staterooms
– Enjoy a bit of outdoor luxury and privacy on your own stateroom balcony.

e. Suite Cabins
– Most expensive but also the most luxurious cabin type.
– These include Junior Suites (JS), Ocean Suites (OS) and the Grand Suites (GS).

Tip: Choosing a stateroom that is located mid ship on a lower deck is ideal for those who easily gets seasick regardless of your accommodation type.

#10 Seasickness

When you’re on a cruise, the one thing you don’t ever want to have is to get seasick. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent you from being seasick.

Here’s a few of our recommendations that helps:
a. Scopolamine patch (Prescription – prevents motion sickness)
b. Dramamine (Over the counter but get the less drowsy kind)
c. Zofran (Prescription – helps with nausea)
d. Ginger Pills (Natural way to prevent motion sickness)
e. Seabands (Naturally prevents motion sickness by applying pressure to certain point on your wrist)
f. Choose a stateroom on a lower deck and located mid ship.  Rooms closest to the front or the stern of the cruise ship experience most of the rocking motion.

#11 Fun Times Daily Newsletter

Fun Times is Carnival’s daily newsletter to keep their guests informed of the day ahead. It’s gives you an hourly schedule of what’s happening on the ship.

The following information is printed on your Fun Times newsletter:
a. Weather conditions
b. Dining schedule and options
c. Entertainment schedules
d. Shopping specials
e. In-cabin TV schedule

#12 Beverages on board

Upon embarkation, each person is allowed to bring a maximum of 12 sealed cans/cartons of non-alcoholic beverages of less than 12 ounces each in their carry-ons.

Also, guests 21 years and older may bring one 750 ml bottle of sealed/unopened wine or champagne, per person. A $15 corkage fee per 750ml bottle will be charged to your account if you prefer to consume it in the MDR.

#13 Sail and Sign Card

Sail & Sign is Carnival’s convenient cashless payment system for guests to charge onboard purchases and gratuities as cash is not an acceptable form of payment.

All charges will automatically be billed to the guest’s credit card presented upon registration at the end of the voyage. If you prefer, you can deposit cash or traveler’s checks in US dollars at Guest Services on the first day of your cruise.

To keep them from getting lost, check out these nautical-themed water resistant badge holders you can use.

Here are some of its additional uses:
a. Personal identification
b. Used as your Stateroom Access Key

#14 Bring Cash or Credit Cards

Cash is great for tipping and for making purchases at Ports of Call. Some shops accept credit cards but some of them add around 10-12% to the total price just for using your plastic. On the bright side, cash can give you a bargaining edge for your purchases.

Notes:
a. If you still prefer to use credit cards, make sure you use the ones that don’t charge foreign transaction fees.
b. On board the cruise ship, you will be using your Sail & Sign card to pay for everything.

#15 Souvenir Photos

Save money on professional photos taken on the cruise by purchasing Carnival’s Pixel Pre-Cruise Photo Packages at a discounted price. This can be ordered online on the Fun Shop.

Otherwise, photos are available for purchase on board and all sales are final.

Notes:
a. Due to the high volume of photos taken, the files are deleted soon after each cruise.
b. Purchased digital images are only available to download 30 days from the date your cruise began. 

#16 Travel Insurance

Cruise travel insurance is purely optional, but a recommended purchase to cover those what-if moments that can happen during your cruise. Remember, your regular health insurance might not cover medical coverage during your cruise.

Here are things that a good travel insurance covers:
a. Emergency Medical Care
b. Emergency Medical Evacuation
c. Baggage Loss or Delay
d. Identity Theft
e. Trip Cancellations Due To Hurricanes and Bad Weather

#17 Muster Safety Drill

The Muster Safety Drill is a mandatory drill instigated by the US Coast Guard so everyone on board will have an idea on how to safely evacuate in case of an emergency at sea.

When the signal for the Safety Briefing blares out, guests are to proceed directly to their assigned muster station printed on the left bottom corner of the Guest’s Sail & Sign card. 

The guest will need to have the Sail & Sign card in hand. During the Safety Briefing, the Evacuation Personnel will demonstrate how to wear a life jacket.

#18 Pregnancy

Carnival cruising policy states that “Any guest who has entered, or who will at any time during the cruise enter, the 24th week of estimated gestational age in her pregnancy, agrees not to book a cruise or board the ship.”

First of all, the ship does not have an Obstetrician/Gynecologist on board. Pregnancies can potentially be life threatening when unstable and poorly controlled. Secondly, since the ship is in the middle of the ocean, getting timely expert medical care is unlikely.

#19 Wash Hands Often

Because of the recent Norovirus scare that has affected cruise ships of late, it is best to practice proper hand hygiene especially when you’re onboard a cruise ship. According to the CDC, alcohol based hand sanitizers can be used in addition to hand washing, never as a substitute.

#20 Online Check In

Check-in online within 90 days of your cruise to no later than midnight (eastern time) prior to the sailing date. Guests must click on Manage My Booking and create an account. Online Check-in can be found under ‘My To-Do list’.

After checking in, guests will be able to print their cruise documents, including luggage tags, boarding passes and more. Guests will also be able to view their reservation, purchase shore excursions, set their dining preferences, make spa appointments, access their flight information and view Frequently Asked Questions.

#21 Gratuities

Carnival charges automatic gratuities of $13.99 per person per day for those staying in standard staterooms, and $15.99 per person per day for suite staterooms. An 18% gratuity is automatically added to all beverages, mini bar items, and spa & salon purchases.

You can prepay your gratuities before you cruise, or charge it to your Sail & Sign account which is due at the end of your cruise.

Contact the Guest Services desk while on board if you are not satisfied with the service you receive. In the same light, guests can also adjust their gratuities while on board after they have been posted on their accounts. Gratuities are considered final after a guest disembarks and no changes will be made after the cruise.

#22 Entertainment & Shows

Shows on Carnival are on a first-come-first-serve basis. If you would like to procure the best seats, show up at least 30 minutes before it starts.

#23 Arrival & Boarding Times

Upon checking in online, you will be presented available arrival times in 30-minute intervals. You can then pick and choose which one works best. Availability is based on a first-come-first-serve basis.

If you are early, you will be asked to come back at your selected arrival time. If you are late, you will be permitted to check in as long as it is within the embarkation window or an hour before the ship’s departure.

#24 VIFP Club

Carnival’s Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) Club is the cruise line’s loyalty program that rewards you points and extra perks the more you cruise. Each day you cruise is equivalent to one VIFP point.

Here are the tiers of Carnival’s VIFP Club:
a. Blue
– First sailing on Carnival

b. Red
– 2nd Sailing up to 24 points
– Complimentary 1 liter of water delivered to your stateroom

c. Gold
– 25 up to 74 points
– Red Level Perks
– Appreciation drink on 5+ day cruises (on the last evening of the cruise after 5pm)
– You will also receive a Gold VIFP pin on every sailing

d. Platinum
– 75 up to 199 points
– Gold Level Perks
– Priority check-in and boarding
– Platinum and Diamond VIFP Party on 5+ day sailings with complimentary drinks and appetizers
– Complimentary beverage at Seaday brunch
– “Chocolate Delight” strawberry plate delivered to your stateroom on 5+ day cruises
– Collectible pin received on each sailing
– Priority spa reservations
– Priority water shuttle boarding (ship to shore only)
– Casino: Buy-one-get-one-free tournament entry (Blackjack or Slot only)
– Complimentary arcade credits worth $5 for guests under 18 years old
– Carnival logo gift on every sailing
– Priority Guest Services assistance by phone
– Priority line at onboard Guest Services desk
– Priority debarkation
– Priority reservations at Main Dining Room and Specialty Restaurant
– Complimentary Wash & Fold laundry service (2 bags on 3 – 6 day cruises, 3 bags on 7-12 day cruises,5 bags on a 12+ day cruises)

e. Diamond
– 200+ points
– Platinum Level Perks
– Guaranteed seating time requested in Main Dining Room for dinner only
– Priority reservations at Specialty restaurants
– Unlimited complimentary Wash & Fold service
– Special event invitation from the Captain on each sailing
– One-time free cabin upgrade OR third and fourth guests sail free
– One-time complimentary meal for two at Specialty Restaurant of choice
– Dedicated toll-free number for sales and service

#25 Communication

Here are some ways you can communicate with the landlocked world or with your fellow cruisers while on board:
a. Cellular Roaming and Text!
– the ship has a roaming cell tower as contracted with Wireless Maritime Services (WMS) when cruising on international waters. If you prefer, you can use this service with your carrier’s international roaming service. You can make calls or send text messages while roaming. Cost is based on what your carrier charges for roaming services. Contact your carrier for more information about cost and coverage details.

b. Carnival Hub App
This Carnival app comes equipped with an Onboard Chat feature that works while you are connected to the ship’s free wifi network. Cost is $5 per user for the entire voyage.

c. Onboard WiFi
– Get connected to the ship’s WiFi network and you will be able to send emails, use Skype or send messages. Video calls, however, are disabled even when connected to the ship’s WiFi.

d. Stateroom Phone
– While at sea, you can make calls using the phone in your stateroom.
– Calls cost $1.99 per minute. These involve all calls including toll free 800 numbers and collect calls.

#26 Small Day Bag

After you check your luggage in, there’s no guarantee what time it will be delivered to your stateroom. If you want to have a change of clothes before your dinner reservation, you can always bring your first set of clothes in your day bag. Day bags are great for holding your excursion essentials like beach towels, sunscreen, swimsuits and bottled water.

Check out our post on cruising essentials you’ll need for your next cruising adventure. Click here to read the post.

#27 Faster To The Fun Package (FTTF)

Carnival offers guests a VIP package for some added perks to their cruise. Take note that the FTTF package is not available on Carnival Journeys or Europe Cruises. It is not offered in the following ports: Honolulu, Norfolk, Vancouver.

Prices are for all guests in the stateroom and can only be purchased pre-cruise. Click here for more details including pricing information and program availability.

Extra perks with the FTTF Package:
a. Priority Check in and Boarding
b. First Access to Stateroom
c. Priority Luggage
d. Dedicated Guest Services
e. Dining Reservations
f. Priority Water Shuttle
g. Debarkation Choices

#28 Fly2Fun Air Program

For guests who need to fly to their embarkation port, you can coordinate air travel with your cruise itinerary by purchasing your plane tickets through Carnival’s Fly2Fun Air Program.

When you book through this program, you’ll be able to enjoy Carnival’s complimentary flight protection. This means that when you experience travel delays resulting from weather conditions or other flight delays that cause you to miss your ship on the day of embarkation, Carnival will make the next flight, hotel and/or ground transportation arrangements to get you to the next port of call on time at no expense. To make an air reservation,  call your travel agent or 1-800-CARNIVAL.

Types of offers:
a. Flexible fares
– Air payment are not required until cruise final payment.
– Guests can make changes to their reservation prior to 60 days of cruise departure without penalty.
– Within 60 days of cruise departure, a $200 change fee will be applied plus any additional air costs. 

b. Restricted Fares
– Airline ticket payment is required once the air reservation is made.

#29 Camp Ocean Night Owls

Camp Ocean Night Owls gives parents a chance to enjoy the nightlife by watching over their children. This program is for children 6 months to 11 years old. Cost is $6.74 hourly plus 18% gratuity per child.

Parents must provide diapers and toiletries for their child’s use. Service is available between 10:00pm and 1:00am. Any child not picked up after 1:00am will be charged double and will forfeit Night Owls privileges for the remainder of the cruise.

To learn more about cruising, check out other articles on our site:
1. 33 Things To Pack For A Cruise Besides Clothes
2. Things to Leave Behind When Packing For Your Next Cruise
3. 18 Hidden Costs That Bump Up Your Cruising Budget