THIS NEEDS TO BE EDITED FOR GENERIC USE. jgc / 25Jan16
A few thoughts for a first time cruiser on Carnival’s Elation
PACKING FOR YOUR CRUISE
Unlike a hotel where people check in on varying days and at varying times, guests check in to a cruise ship en masse. As such, a ship receives thousands of pieces of luggage in a matter of a few hours, which means your bags may not arrive in your stateroom until a few hours after you've boarded. Carry-ons are key. Pack everything needed to get you and your family through dinner time -- bathing suits, cameras, medications, sandals, sunscreen, a change of clothes and toiletries, as well as your travel documents, such as passport and parental affidavit, should you have one. You will find a safe in your cabin where important documents can be safely stored. This packing strategy will save you until your larger bag is delivered to your cabin.
BOARDING THE SHIP
Depending on when you board, you may not be able to access your cabin right away. Instead, grab lunch in the buffet restaurant, and be sure to book spa services, specialty restaurant reservations and popular shore excursions as soon as possible. Carnival also offers pre-booking options online, to request before setting sail. By now you will have received your UMapped Document, including a visitor’s guide to Cozumel, complete with Shore Excursion suggestions. I will re-send you all Cozumel ShoreTrip excursions by tomorrow morning, in a separate email. In the meantime, you can also access cruise line shore excursion descriptions by visiting Carnival’s website for COZUMEL SHORE EXCURSIONS . Any experience can be pre-booked and paid for before sailing.
Please don’t miss the Muster/Safety drill. These drills are the adult cruise version of school fire drills, where passengers and crew practice the steps they'd take in an emergency situation, such as putting on life jackets and assembling in assigned areas. The drills take place just before the ship sets sail. Your attendance is mandatory, and you should take it seriously. Be forewarned, crew members do come around to check that people are not still in the cabin.
All cabins contain phones for ship-to-shore calls; however, the per-minute charges are quite costly. Carnival Cruise Lines, through agreement with Wireless Maritime Services, offers an advanced roaming network on board Carnival Cruise Lines ships, allowing you to make and receive calls while at sea using your own mobile phone and telephone number. International roaming charges will be conveniently billed to you by your home mobile carrier. Please contact your mobile carrier for specific rate information. Roaming rates can be high but are typically cheaper than using your ship's satellite phone service.
MAKING PURCHASES ONBOARD
A cruise is not the same as an all-inclusive vacation. There are several things not covered in your Carnival cruise fare. A few examples? Liquor and Soft Drinks; casino chips; shore tours; gift shop purchases; and spa services.
Sail & Sign is Carnival's cashless on-board credit program, which allows guests to provide a major credit card, and charge on board purchases and gratuities (if not prepaid) directly to a personal account for convenience throughout the cruise. The Sail & Sign Card must be utilized for all money transactions on board as cash will not be an accepted form of payment. Personalized Sail & Sign cards will be provided to all guests (including minors) and are valid for use immediately upon boarding the ship. Guest Services can provide guests with a balance update at any time throughout the cruise. The Card will also double as your room key throughout your sailing.
On the last evening you'll receive an itemized bill of your charges. Be sure to look it over and contact the cruise line's purser or hotel desk to dispute any charges. If all looks good, just keep the bill as your receipt; the balance will be charged to the credit card you provided. It's a good idea to check your onboard statement prior to the last night; queues at the purser's desk can be long on debarkation day, so if you can spot a problem and resolve it early, you will be saved the hassle of waiting in a long line.
DISEMBARKATION DAY
Option 1 – Relaxed Debark: Guests may wish to enjoy a little more time on the ship on the last morning and may take advantage of our Relaxed Debark by simply leaving their bags outside their stateroom late in the evening on the last night of the cruise. The Housekeeping Department will pick up the bags and store them in a holding area. Upon arrival at the port of debarkation, the luggage is unloaded and separated (by zone number) in the baggage claim area of the terminal. The guests must personally locate their luggage and either carry it out or seek the assistance of a porter. The customary tip is $1 USD per bag.
Option 2 – Self Assist Debark Program: In order to be cleared off the ship shortly after arrival in New Orleans, guests have the option of participating in our Self Assist Debark Program if they elect to carry off their own luggage. The guest should first consider the size of the luggage and whether it can safely be maneuvered through stairs, hallways and escalators. Self Assist is a great option for anyone on a short cruise, and having time restraints. You will disembark the ship as the first group, followed by general debarkation.
Have travel documentation (passports and your Sign and Sail Card) ready to show to Customs Border Protection (CBP) Inspectors at the gangway as you disembark.
Have all your belongings with you and be capable of carrying them off the ship on their own. Guests must truly be able to handle their luggage, including navigating stairs and escalators as they debark.
Have properly filled out a Customs Declaration Form, one per family, and present the family to the CBP Inspectors. Don’t forget to make payment onboard for any money owed as duty on purchases that you’ve made which exceed the duty-free allowance.
A few thoughts for a first time cruiser on Carnival’s Elation
PACKING FOR YOUR CRUISE
Unlike a hotel where people check in on varying days and at varying times, guests check in to a cruise ship en masse. As such, a ship receives thousands of pieces of luggage in a matter of a few hours, which means your bags may not arrive in your stateroom until a few hours after you've boarded. Carry-ons are key. Pack everything needed to get you and your family through dinner time -- bathing suits, cameras, medications, sandals, sunscreen, a change of clothes and toiletries, as well as your travel documents, such as passport and parental affidavit, should you have one. You will find a safe in your cabin where important documents can be safely stored. This packing strategy will save you until your larger bag is delivered to your cabin.
BOARDING THE SHIP
Depending on when you board, you may not be able to access your cabin right away. Instead, grab lunch in the buffet restaurant, and be sure to book spa services, specialty restaurant reservations and popular shore excursions as soon as possible. Carnival also offers pre-booking options online, to request before setting sail. By now you will have received your UMapped Document, including a visitor’s guide to Cozumel, complete with Shore Excursion suggestions. I will re-send you all Cozumel ShoreTrip excursions by tomorrow morning, in a separate email. In the meantime, you can also access cruise line shore excursion descriptions by visiting Carnival’s website for COZUMEL SHORE EXCURSIONS . Any experience can be pre-booked and paid for before sailing.
Please don’t miss the Muster/Safety drill. These drills are the adult cruise version of school fire drills, where passengers and crew practice the steps they'd take in an emergency situation, such as putting on life jackets and assembling in assigned areas. The drills take place just before the ship sets sail. Your attendance is mandatory, and you should take it seriously. Be forewarned, crew members do come around to check that people are not still in the cabin.
All cabins contain phones for ship-to-shore calls; however, the per-minute charges are quite costly. Carnival Cruise Lines, through agreement with Wireless Maritime Services, offers an advanced roaming network on board Carnival Cruise Lines ships, allowing you to make and receive calls while at sea using your own mobile phone and telephone number. International roaming charges will be conveniently billed to you by your home mobile carrier. Please contact your mobile carrier for specific rate information. Roaming rates can be high but are typically cheaper than using your ship's satellite phone service.
MAKING PURCHASES ONBOARD
A cruise is not the same as an all-inclusive vacation. There are several things not covered in your Carnival cruise fare. A few examples? Liquor and Soft Drinks; casino chips; shore tours; gift shop purchases; and spa services.
Sail & Sign is Carnival's cashless on-board credit program, which allows guests to provide a major credit card, and charge on board purchases and gratuities (if not prepaid) directly to a personal account for convenience throughout the cruise. The Sail & Sign Card must be utilized for all money transactions on board as cash will not be an accepted form of payment. Personalized Sail & Sign cards will be provided to all guests (including minors) and are valid for use immediately upon boarding the ship. Guest Services can provide guests with a balance update at any time throughout the cruise. The Card will also double as your room key throughout your sailing.
On the last evening you'll receive an itemized bill of your charges. Be sure to look it over and contact the cruise line's purser or hotel desk to dispute any charges. If all looks good, just keep the bill as your receipt; the balance will be charged to the credit card you provided. It's a good idea to check your onboard statement prior to the last night; queues at the purser's desk can be long on debarkation day, so if you can spot a problem and resolve it early, you will be saved the hassle of waiting in a long line.
DISEMBARKATION DAY
Option 1 – Relaxed Debark: Guests may wish to enjoy a little more time on the ship on the last morning and may take advantage of our Relaxed Debark by simply leaving their bags outside their stateroom late in the evening on the last night of the cruise. The Housekeeping Department will pick up the bags and store them in a holding area. Upon arrival at the port of debarkation, the luggage is unloaded and separated (by zone number) in the baggage claim area of the terminal. The guests must personally locate their luggage and either carry it out or seek the assistance of a porter. The customary tip is $1 USD per bag.
Option 2 – Self Assist Debark Program: In order to be cleared off the ship shortly after arrival in New Orleans, guests have the option of participating in our Self Assist Debark Program if they elect to carry off their own luggage. The guest should first consider the size of the luggage and whether it can safely be maneuvered through stairs, hallways and escalators. Self Assist is a great option for anyone on a short cruise, and having time restraints. You will disembark the ship as the first group, followed by general debarkation.
Have travel documentation (passports and your Sign and Sail Card) ready to show to Customs Border Protection (CBP) Inspectors at the gangway as you disembark.
Have all your belongings with you and be capable of carrying them off the ship on their own. Guests must truly be able to handle their luggage, including navigating stairs and escalators as they debark.
Have properly filled out a Customs Declaration Form, one per family, and present the family to the CBP Inspectors. Don’t forget to make payment onboard for any money owed as duty on purchases that you’ve made which exceed the duty-free allowance.
