Valor Dec 3rd 2006 w / 2 young children need suggestions

[canada]

Just wondering as this is our first cruise; travelling with 18 month old and 3 year old. What time can you board boad and what is best way to get to the port taxi or shuttle? What are the fee's? Any suggestions for nice clean hotel by the port in Miami or close to airport.
We have booked a room on the Lido Deck to be convient to the pool etc is this floor noisey? Also what are the cribs like do they fill the room up or can the collaps down when not in use? Camp Carnival for the 3 year old - do they give pagers to parents do the stay in a designated area? Can we take 18 month old in to play if we stay with him? What is the children's pool like? Are the kids allowed in the other pools ie the 18 month old in swimming diaper?Do they have water toys for kids to play with or toys that can be loaned out from Camp Carnival? Has anyone ever rented strollers from the ship? Will they automatically give young families the earlier seating? What is the dress code on regular evenings in the dining room? What is the cost of the fountain card for adults and children? Are you expected to tip the full $10 a day for 3yr old and 18month old? When do you know if you get upgraded and how do they decide who gets them. We don't want to get upgraded of the Lido deck close to elevator, pool etc to another deck that's further away for convience unless it's a suite how do stop this from happening? Any suggestions for port excursions for young children and do they charge for young ones if booked through Carnival or booked privately? Sorry for the lenghty message but want to be well prepared.

[Jim C.]

Breath Canada.... Breath....

That's a large list of questions you are asking there and many of us may not want to try to tackle them all at once, so lets break this post down into pieces.

First question- hotels in Miami - go look in the Port Hotels and Transportation forum. There is good information in there on this topic.

Secondly, go to Carnival's website and read their FAQ. Many of the questions you have asked are covered in there.

I can't answer the young child questions, but maybe someone else with experience can.

What time can you board? That comes up every once in a while and I always say to go early. The travel documents say 1PM, but we have always managed to start boarding earlier. I try to be there by 11, but with small kids, you may not want to do that. Either way, you will be standing in line with the childern. Maybe its best to take the chance and get there early? If you do, at least you may be able to get to stand inside the terminal building out of the weather. Unless they have added to it, Miami's terminal building doesn't hold a lot of people "pre-metal detectors" so the line quickly can grow to the point where you are standing outside in the sun.

You don't HAVE to tip at all. (Not that I'm saying don't tip) and tipping in general is always a hot topic on this forum. But if you think that the $10 a day should not include your childern, then you could have the tips removed from you bill at the purser's desk. But if you are using camp carnival, you should at least tip the Camp staff they work really hard and they ar enot included in the $10 a day "pool". And the room stewards are going to be picking up after 4 people wether they are childern or not. Some may even say the childern will cause more work for them. You will have to use your judgement there.

And the last one I will answer before I let someone else take over, the cabin assignment. IF you booked a specific cabin number and not a "guarantee or To BE Assigned" cabin. Then you MOST likely won't get an upgrade. You can call you cruise agent and tell them you do not want to be considered for a cabin change and that will lock it.

[canada]

Hey Jim Thanks for all the info your knowledge is greatly appreciated. Went on link about Miami accomodations would you suggest stay close to airport or down @ port is this area safe?

[whickey]

Hey canada

I have never left out of Miami however through my previous experiances are that if the port is in a tourest area then it will be safe to stay at. Also you will get the well known hotels there not the mom and pop shops.(not that I am saying there is anything wrong with them. you just know what to expect from the major ones) I have never used camp carnival however I have seen the pools and yes there are toys around the area. I would suggest for the 18 month old stick to the kids pool because the public ones are deep and there is usually more currents in the big ones because of the ships movement. My opinion differs about embarktation. I always go about 2-3 hrs before the ship sets sail and I find that the major rush is done then. I am usually through in less then 30 mins. Then again every place is different. I don't think that they automatically put you in earily seating however I would recomend it for a young family. call them and find out what they have put you down for. As for tipping I agree with jim if you want them incuded then put it in there if not change it at the purcers desk. they don't ask any questions when you do. I also agree that you extend favors to the camp carnival staff they put up with alot from concerned parents who really just want to make a stink much of the time. I don't belive that the Lido deck is much louder all of the cabins are in one area and the pool is in the other. There are no bars underneith you unless you are on the fantacy class so you should be OK

WOW I think I got it all done us canadians really like to worry about everything EH!!

Will

[whickey]

Oh WOW i missed alot

The fountain fun card are usually 5.95 a day I think. I don't know about strollers and crib. The busses are usually full and you wait around until they fill so somtimes if can be an hr on the buss from start to finish. Taxi's can be more but they are alot more convient. the fees differ depending on cruise. i think between $35-$75 round trip before and after your cruise. Dress code for the evening will be in the shedual they put in your room each night. Range between jean and a nice shirt and a full out suit. As far as i know all of the camp carnival stay for the most part in a designated area and when out of that area it is ropped off from the rest of the passengers. I think they give you a beaper or you can rent one from them.