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My son is getting married in April and he and his bride will be going on a Canival cruise out of the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/Port Everglades area - not sure WHICH port they will be departing from?
They have to be at the "port terminal" by 1P.M. to check in on the day they leave (ship leaves on April 30th, I believe?).
I have a couple of questions for you "locals" in that area, if you can help, please.
1) Given that it's Carnival Cruise Lines - is there a PARTICULAR port/terminal that ALL the Carnival ships leave from? (They are going for a 1-weeker to Cozumel, Grand Caymen's, and Jamaica.)
2) Since they will be flying in from Nashville the day beFORE they leave, they want to stay at a hotel/motel nearby where they can enjoy the area and spend the night, before heading over to the terminal the next morning. (They booked the CRUISE direct, w/Carnival, but have not booked the airlines yet.) Any decent places nearby that someone can recommend for that one night???
I gues they will have to take a cab over to the terminal the next day - or do some of the hotels nearby have shuttles to the PORTS/TERMINALS???
Any help is appreciated - I know these "ports/terminals" are probably spread out all over that area, so I was looking for some insight?
Carnival has ships leaving from both Miami and Fort Lauderdale...
They are definitely smart to arrive*the night before..the cruise lines take no responsibility if the airlines screw up and don't get you there in time.
If they are going out of Miami, a night in a hotel on South Beach would be fun.* Plenty of good places to eat, grab a drink, watch the sights and unwind.* From there to the port is a 20 minute cab ride.* The other option is to stay in Downtown Miami which is a 5 minute cab ride to the port....
If they are headed out of Fort Lauderdale, a hotel along the 17th street causeway or on the beach would be good.* A quick cab ride from there to Las Olas to eat, drink, check out the shops, etc...
The port of Ft Lauderdale is 5 minutes from the airport.* The nearest hotels are going to be those right outside the airport.* Again, more limited in terms of whats "to do" around there.
Bruce,
Having been on that cruise myself. Let your son know that the Catamaran cruise (its a snorkel, cruise, and beach trip) is great in Cozumel and in Grand Cayman if he gets a chance tro go Rum Point it is beautiful and has a wonderful beach and some good snorkeling. Hell in Grand Gayman was unimpressive. In Jamiaca Dunn's river falls is pretty but walking up the falls is BS. That is a great cruise and we loved the Caymans sooo much we flew back.
__________________ "I'm suing the THT and the guy that made it."
I just returned from cruise stop in Cozumel, another great option, we rented a jeep at the ship dock in Cozumel and drove around the island, there is one entire side that is undeveloped, miles and miles of georgious beaches where you can stop anywhere take a swim, little cantinas all along to have some "refreshments" a cold Modelo is great under a chickee looking at the beautiful carribean
jeep wrangler was only $55 for the day plus gas which cost $4 for the entire trip and yes Carnival goes from both ports, enjoy
Thank you VERY much, guys - lots of good info already! I wish I was going! He and "Tara" are the "adventurous" type, so they WILL do some exploring!
He's made the cruise "deposit" and, I assume, has some info on EXACTLY where the ship leaves from - he's just so fired up (read: "confused", "excited", "scared", etc. ) about the wedding and all the last minute plans, he's not sure of the port!
This is the FIRST cruise for either of them, so we (them, us, etc.) want to make sure they have a LOT of fun! Not sure how LONG the ship is in each port, but it sounds like it goes to Cozumel FIRST - then Caymen's, then Jamaica.
Keep the ideas coming, and I will make SURE he gets ALL this GREAT info!!!!!!!!!!!
It may have changed some but Jamaica was one place not to do your exploring from the recommended places. It was a very dangerous place. The drinks on the ship are the worst (no alcohol in them). Either advise him to get beer or try and sneak a couple of pint bottles of rum on the ship in big floppy shorts. If they find it they just make him leave them on shore. He can also pack them in his suitcase (wrap them well to keep them from busting).
__________________ "I'm suing the THT and the guy that made it."
My Cozumel stop was all day, arv. 8am back on ship 5pm, plenty of time for our jeep excursion around island, I have been to most carribean islands and the unspoiled coast we drove along is one of the best I ever saw, truely worth doing, since this will be a honeymoon, there are many places along the beach for "romance" if catch my drift
as for liquor, it is getting harder to sneak back on ship with it, they "keep" it for you till back in home port
take some in "checked luggage" for drinks on the ship
I will let my son know about "exploring in Jamaica" - that sounds a little scary, but I've heard similar before! I would think the cruise line would issue some "cautions" about those types of situations? I'll make sure I inform him anyway!
There is a tour offered in Cayman on a vessel called "Safir" the admiral and I went and it was great, snorkeling, great food,great crew, about 60 ft. Tri-marran(sp?) it was built in New Zealand in 1980 to race in the World Cup, I don't normally care for blow botes, but this was special, we sailed at 14 knots with just the small forward? sail up. it was pricey but worth it
OH! take your own booze, they serve fresh juice which goes great with local rum, they don't serve liquor on board, but didn't care that I had my own
Bruce ,I was born and raised in Richmond Va, gotta help my fellow Virginian
Having been on that same Carnival cruise's last summer, I would imagine they would be sailing on the Carnival Triumph out of Miami.
As far as the hotel for the day before, I would suggest staying on South Beach for the night. I would highly recommend the Lowes hotel if price is not a concern. Cab ride over to the port will be about a 10-minute ride with no traffic and about 30 minutes with traffic.
Bruce ,I was born and raised in Richmond Va, gotta help my fellow Virginian
evernic
Thanks for your help!
What part of town - I grew up on "Southside" (in the area that WAS part of Chesterfield, but got "annexed" after I had moved) and went to Huguenot H.S. (when it was part of CHESTERFIELD!) and Univ. of Richmond?
Have lived in Mechanicsville area for the past 18 years.
I LOVE this area - just the right size, but getting BIGGER!
Did you enjoy the cruise and the ports of call? My son has never been out of the country (just traveled to LA, SF, NY, & FL a few times - mostly by air), but his fiancee lived in Bermuda for a number of years.
They are REALLY looking forward to this and, I think, have booked a "nice" room on the ship!
Thanks for the info - to ALL of you - and I will, as I said, make sure that they get ALL of your suggestions and input!
By the way, the order of the ports of call was Conzumel, Grand Cayman and Jamaica when I went on the cruise.
Not sure, what cruise Evernic went on but the Carnival does serve liquor on board. They had a different drink special everyday served in a souvenir cup. I shared a bottle of wine with every dinner with my girlfriend. Although the drinks are on the pricey side, they certainly do serve Alcohol.
As far as excursions go, in Conzumel I visited the Mayan pyramids in Tulum. In Grand Cayman, I snorkeled in String Ray City and relaxed on 7-mile beach. Lastly, in Jamaica I did the Dunn’s River Falls.
Bruce, the cruise was awesome experience. The 7 days go by extremly quick and towards the end I was wishing I could stay for another 7 days. Altough I wouldn't rank Carnival as the top in the industry they definately deliver the best bang for the buck. A criuse is a great way to visit different countries especially for a first timer. Can't wait to go again!
Just in case, remind your son that there is one formal dinner/Captains dinner served on the second night. Most men wear a suit and tie that night while women wear nice dresses. You can rent tuxedos onboard if anything but a suit is more than sufficient.
Bruce ,I was born and raised in Richmond Va, gotta help my fellow Virginian
evernic
Thanks for your help!
What part of town - I grew up on "Southside" (in the area that WAS part of Chesterfield, but got "annexed" after I had moved) and went to Huguenot H.S. (when it was part of CHESTERFIELD!) and Univ. of Richmond?
Have lived in Mechanicsville area for the past 18 years.
I LOVE this area - just the right size, but getting BIGGER!
Regards,
I grew up on "southside" chesterfield county, off rt 360, just west of "old" Manchester HS, where I went , graduated from "new" manchester in 1966, 1 yr VCU, couldn't take the cold, moved to Ft.Laud in 1969, love the ocean and boating(obviously) used to go to York river every sun in summer, now i can fish/shrimp/boat all year
Squirm88, I never said they don't serve alcohol on board, I said they won't let you take YOUR OWN on board for drinks in the room/balcony?, I sneaked on a bottle for personal consumption, as you said drinks on board are pricey. I was on NCL Norweigian Sun, did tulum on another trip, nice, did mayan ruins in Belize this past trip, much larger than tulum, interesting, can see Guatamala from top of large pyramid. Still suggest renting jeep in Cozumel and drive island, fantastic, unspoiled carribean beaches. did dunn's river falls also, to Bruce W. tell them to check out the "safir' (earlier post) in Grand caymen, great trip, snorkel,sail, great food and crew evernic
Evernic, sorry I miss read your post. I thought maybe you went on a Disney cruise or something and that they didn't serve drinks at all. In any case drinks are deffinately pricey and would be a good idea to stash a bottle in one of your checked bags.
Bruce W, just had a thought,,OH how I do miss Bills Barbecue
evernic
Me, TOO - they are "down to" about 3-4 locations! I had a couple of 'em about 2-3 weeks ago from the "Virginia Barbecue" location on the Boulevard, across from "The Diamond" (old "Parker Field").
They closed the ORIGINAL location (just of Broad & Boulevard) within the past year! Not sure where the others are that are left??? When I was growing up, I frequented the one of "Southside" - on Belt Boulevard, as well as the Shoney's across and down the road.
I graduated from Huguenot in 1966 - hmmmmm ... we may even KNOW each other! I went to Forest View Elementary and when they opened Huguenot, the folks I had gone to elementary school with that lived on the south side of Rt. 60 all went to the "new" Manchester - where YOU went!
Let's see (I'm going WAY back here) - did you know Betty Wilkerson ('66 or so?), Faye Sellers ('65), Patsy Marable ('65), Brenda Ely ('66 or so?), Billy Goodman, Steve Johnson ('65 or '66?), Candice Hazlette, Roger Threadgill, Bonnie Townley (Meadowbrook H.S. - '66 or '67?), Bob Bundy ('65), Lorraine Priddy ('65 or '66?), Brenda Priddy - Lorraine's sister (after '65), Cindy Daves ('66 or '67?),
DANG - I did that off the top of my HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Need HELP w/FL cruiseship port!!! 
and yes Carnival goes from both ports, enjoy 
I had a couple of 'em about 2-3 weeks ago from the "Virginia Barbecue" location on the Boulevard, across from "The Diamond" (old "Parker Field"). 
