Cruise Bible

1| Page Lisa Phillips All Tickets Travel 2-19-10 thru 2-25-2010

All you needed to know about cruising and the Hahn Reunion:

This is a little booklet I put together with all the information you need to know for our upcoming reunion! We have over 100 people attending and I hope it will be a wonderful time for everyone! This recaps my emails, and answers you have asked. I hope you find it helpful and please feel free to ask me if anything 2 | P ato g questions e else comes to mind you need to know

FUNPASS: First and foremost - time to get pre-registered on the Carnival funpass site! Funpass registration - you will need your "booking number" located on your cruise receipt and you will enter that and follow the prompts. You will need to complete this prior to sailing and print your tickets and luggage tags as they no longer mail them to you. So this is a very important step you need to get completed. You will also add a credit card on file for your "sail and sign" card to be linked to on board the ship. Since cash is rarely seen onboard, your card issued to you at check in (Sail and Sign) will be your credit card, room key, and identification to reboard the ship in port! Not something you want to lose once you pick it up in Galveston. Your photo will be embedded in the card and when scanned by the security - will serve as ID to board the ship along with a US issued photo ID while in port. You can also see your room assignment, etc. So get this step done asap!!! See in Cruise Faqs section for more information on the “Sail and Sign card”. You can also shop the online guest services and find gifts you can send to other staterooms to friends or extra specials to have waiting in your cabin, such as wine, photo coupons, drink coupons, gifts for kids, t-shirts, and even roses or chocolate covered strawberries! You can even have your room decorated for a birthday or anniversary! Carnival bon voyage gifts!

Airfare/Hotel arrangements: You can fly into Hobby (HOU) or Bush

(IAH) in Houston. I would NOT suggest flying in the same day as the cruise leaves unless you book for a very early flight in case of issues or flt changes that would result in your missing the boat! Return flights should be booked for 2pm or later on the 25th to ensure you get back to airport in time. There are many options from there. The carnival shuttle http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/Airport_and_Pier_Transfers/galvest on.aspx can be booked thru me or I believe you can do it yourself after you register with carnival for your funpass. If you decide to go to Galveston to get a hotel for the night before or after PLEASE realize that you have to get there and it is 50 miles SE of Houston. I was told - If you can fly into Hobby instead of IAH, it is some 15-30 min drive to pier. Taxi should cost around

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$40 total for 4, one way. From IAH, it is about 1.5 hours drive and price is higher accordingly. OR you can stay in Houston the night before at a nearby hotel to the airport and then take free hotel shuttles back to airport next day to catch the Feb. 20th Carnival bus to port. (fee applies) I personally have booked, and many of you have, the Hampton Inn in Humble Texas. They offer a shuttle from IAH to the hotel for free. Here is a link to book the hotel thru them directly: Hampton inn There is a TGIFriday's across the street from the hotel that we can walk to for dinner/drinks the night before. If enough interest I am going to arrange for an SUV/Van service to come and get us at hotel and transport to pier. It will reduce the price from Carnivals shuttle to approx $20 per person. They can also arrange to pick up a group from pier back to IAH (Bush airport) on the 25th or you can opt to take the Carnival shuttle back to your airport (either one) for the one way fee listed on the above link to "Carnival Shuttle". There is also a hotel that offers packages with shuttle to pier as well I have recently found. It is attached to the Bush airport Hotel at airport ..you can check that out for further info.

Passport questions: As some of you may have noticed as well there

has been a change to the passport laws effective June 1st 2009. Initially it was going to be that each person on this cruise needed a passport...now the Dept. of Homeland Security has changed the laws and our cruise meets the "loophole". For a cruise leaving/returning to the same port - we can board with just a raised seal copy of Birth Certificate and a DL/photo ID. However I continually will stress to you to get a passport if you can - because if you were to miss the boat, get injured, or there was an emergency back in US with a loved one - you can NOT FLY back to US without a passport...with the new laws. It is a long swim. So again, I urge you to get a passport for this trip but it is no longer a requirement. Link to info on passcards/passports: http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/passportcard.ht ml Travel emergency: This hotline is in case you experience a travel emergency in transit to or from your cruise holiday. You may call our travel hotline from within the U.S. at 1-877TVL-HTLN (1-877-885-4856) or from outside the U.S. by calling collect to 305-406-4779. Our representatives are on call to assist you with any question or travel emergency, 24 hours a day.

Excursions/tours: I have been working on this for weeks and this is my

offering of trips on the island. I want to stress that these are NOT REQUIRED

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at all and you can feel free to book as you see fit from the Carnival website or on board the ship at the time of sailing. This is YOUR trip so please do not feel pressured to participate in these if you do not wish to. I am only trying to put together the best package I can for all of us as a whole. Having said that, for our day in Cozumel, Mexico (Monday Feb 22, 2010): cozumel excursion flyer!

Cozumel Beach Party: This does require taxi to the location (not included). There are TONS of taxis waiting at the pier and they run approximately $14-17 each way for 1-4 people. So we will get in groups of 4 and pay our way to and from the beach party, splitting costs so it won't be too bad. We are in Cozumel from 9am to 5pm. We can arrive/leave this party at our leisure with no set times. You will purchase online, print your voucher and take with you on the cruise. On that day, when you are ready to get a taxi over you can and present your voucher when you arrive at resort. This offer is great for those of you with kids as well. We need to plan to be back on board by no later than 4:30pm. Click here to choose and pay for your Cozumel trip -Price per person over age 4 is : $58.00 per person, children 4 and under are free. (what is included with price on next page) • includes Bottled water • Domestic open bar all day (beer, rum, vodka, tequila, sodas) tips are not included... • Beach chair/lounger & umbrella - snorkeling equipment is available to rent for $10 • Showers and restrooms • ¡Estilo Mexicano! lunch buffet included • Fresh water swimming pool • Water activities - inflatable castle and a bongo jumpie - great for kids! OR (can not do both as they overlap) Two Snorkel Stop Adventure: (departs 10am) Click here to choose your Cozumel trip and purchase! This snorkel adventure offers you a peaceful day at sea, laughing and snorkeling with your family and friends in the turquoise water. Relax to the rhythm of the sea, and enjoy the Mexican paradise! You will make two different stops for snorkeling, with 45 minutes to an hour

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of snorkeling time at each. Your snorkel guide will be with you at all times, to make sure that you don't miss a thing. All of your snorkeling gear is included, as well snacks, soft drinks and beer to enjoy when you are through snorkeling. Make sure to bring along an underwater camera to capture all the marine life. Special Instructions: Snorkel equipment and taxes are included in the price. Beer and soft drinks are also included. You will need to take a taxi to the marina where the boat is located. The ride should take about 10 minutes and cost between $6-$10 for up to 4 people.A $2.35 (in cash) Cozumel Marine Park Fee will be collected from you by the guide. Correct change is appreciated. Pricing: Per Person $58.00 USD Children $35.00 USD Ages 4-8 Observers $35.00 USD No snorkeling

and while in the Yucatan port: Yucatan/Progresso: (Tues Feb 23) I am not planning an excursion thru Carnival for this stop as they raised the prices considerably for us as a group, and after much debate with the supervisors, I can not get them to bring the price down. So my advice on this is to select from the fun trips they offer: Carnival Excursions - Yucatan and book online so the tickets will be waiting for you in your cabin. These fill up fast so waiting to book on the ship often means the one you want may be full. *Now on a side note - I am suggesting this trip below if we want to still go as a "group" and just all book the same tour. Ultimately it will end up with whoever books it being together anyways, versus the higher cost of being exclusive. This is the link to the excursion I am looking most forward to and will be booking for myself: Mayan Ruins & Beach Break combo - $76 per person. (I have not been here personally, as I have only seen the ruins from the Cozumel side, which takes 8 hrs so this is at least a shorter day) Take a journey back in time to explore the ancient Dzibichaltun Mayan Ruins followed by a relaxing beach break. (5 hrs long) On this excursion you will: •

Begin with an approximate 40-minute bus ride to one of the oldest and most populated Mayan cities in the Yucatan.

•

Explore the temples and buildings used before the arrival of the Spaniards.

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•

See the Temple of the Seven Dolls, a tribute to the Mayan’s astronomical skills.

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Visit the ancient cenote which was the life center of the city.

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See the traditional Mayan huts up close as well as original artifacts dating from 500 BC and other more recent items.

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Be transported to one of the best beach spots in Progreso after exploring the ruins.

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Take a refreshing swim in one of the two swimming pools or just relax in your lounge chair overlooking the ocean.

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Enjoy the beach club’s private beach area and domestic open bar. :)

•

Note: Minimum age is 6 years. (Sorry for those with younger children, but should you decide there is also babysitting offered on ship to allow you to still take this excursion if you so desire) Guests are only permitted to take a camera and water to the ruins; personal belongings may be left aboard the bus.

REUNION T-SHIRTS: I will be placing the order on Jan. 4th to ensure the tshirts are back to me by time of cruise. I will be bringing them with me so you will be picking them up from me either at hotel the night before or on the boat. If you have not already seen the pictures - here they are: Reunion green t-shirt. $13.00 unisex cotton t-shirt size S-XL, $15.00 for 2XL, 3XL, 4XL Green Hawk reunion t-shirt Shotfest 2010 black t-shirt. $16.00 unisex cotton two-sided t-shirt size S-XL, $18.00 for 2XL, 3XL, 4XL Shotfest front T, and Shotfest back T . I have to assume they fit accordingly as I have no samples. So I can make no guarantees, but I would suggest ordering to fit. To pay: I can take a check in the mail, please enclose the check made out to me: Lisa Phillips along with a written note of how many and what sizes. Mail to: Lisa Phillips 5705 CR HH.7, Lamar, CO 81052

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OR: I would prefer paypal as it is faster and easier. You can pay by credit card, debit card, or bank acct transfer. Just log into www.paypal.com and hit "Send money" and then fill in the email address: [email protected] and enter the amount to pay and click on "PERSONAL" instead of "purchase" - click on "money owed" -and then click continue, and finish filling in the blanks. (this keeps me from being charged a fee for each transaction) Be sure and add a note telling me what type/size/amount of the shirts you want. It's that easy! Deadline will be 8am Jan. 4th to place your order and pay. The sooner the better so I have a reasonable count of how many shirts, etc.

Reunion Tshirt

Shotfest front

Shotfest back.

CARNIVAL ECSTASY – Port of Galveston, Texas I decided to make an informative section that would give you all an idea of what to expect on a cruise whether this is your first or just your first on Carnival, it helps to refresh.

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5 Day Western Caribbean from Galveston, TX Sailing on: Saturday Ship: Carnival Ecstasy

Searching for the perfect less-than-a-week getaway? Here's a fabulous 5 day Western Caribbean cruise from Galveston you're going to love.

Day

Saturday, Feb 20

Port of Call

Arrive

Depart

Shore Excursions

4:00pm

View Shore Excursions

9:00am

5:00pm

View Shore Excursions

10:00am

6:00pm

View Shore Excursions

Galveston, TX

Sunday, Feb 21 Fun Day At Sea Monday, Feb 22 Cozumel, Mexico Tuesday, Feb 23

Progreso, Yucatan, Mexico

Wednesday, Feb 24

Fun Day At Sea

Thursday, Feb 25

Galveston, TX

8:00am

View Shore Excursions

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If you drive to port in personal car: Info on prices of parking at the port - http://www.portofgalveston.com/cruiseinformation/parking.shtml Ship boarding: When you arrive at the docks, there will be crowds making their way to the main cruise terminal. You will find luggage handlers waiting for you and they always are in a hurry! They take your bags from you there and you are left with only your carry on. It is customary to tip these handlers: the industry standard is $1.00 - $2.00 per bag. (Be sure and bring some small bills with you for this purpose). You will need to make sure you have your tickets and ID or passport handy once you get inside, be prepared to go thru metal detectors and your carry on will pass thru an xray machine. (all stepped up since 9/11)..your boarding should go smooth and without excessive wait. Carnival staff is everywhere to help. Your key/card will be given to you at this time and you will make your way on board. Once on the ship you will be in the Grand Atrium of the Ecstasy. This is the center of the ship and the most beautiful. You will head from there to the elevators to start locating your deck and cabin assignment. Once you have checked it out you will want to head up to the Lido deck where lunch will be serving during the boarding times. The party officially gets started!

- Carnival Ecstasy Grand Atrium

Your cabin: Your cabin is much smaller than a hotel room but will have two beds apart or will be put together to make a king if you are traveling as a couple. There is limited closet space, some drawers and a safe in the closet. The room steward assigned to your room will take care of all your stateroom needs and make up your beds daily. They will introduce themselves to you the first day on board and are always very friendly and helpful. The bathroom is small with a toilet, sink, and shower. Be ready for the toilet, the flushing is often a joke of the cruise directors as new cruisers first discover them! 

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Pic of a Category 6B stateroom (oceanview) Electrical outlets in rooms: There is one electrical outlet in each stateroom located in the area of the desk/vanity. The outlet is equipped with a 3-prong 110 volt and a 220 volt plug. The outlet in the bathroom can only be used for electric razors. The ship frowns upon hair straighteners and curling irons as they can overheat and cause fires. This ship did go up in fire in the 90’s so they tend to enforce this rule.

The Muester Drill (aka lifeboat drill): This is usually the least fun of your cruise and is a requirement by the US Coast Guard. You must attend (don’t try to skip out in cabin cause now they check every single one and you can be fined if caught) The cruise officials will let you know when it is time to head back to your cabin and retrieve your life vests and go to your assigned “muster station”. This is located on the back of your door and is on your life vest. You make your way like cattle being herded to your station and you stand and stand. Finally when the ship is cleared, a whistle sounds and it is announced that the ship is setting sail. You will return to your room, put up the life vests and will want to hurry up top to the open decks to watch the ship depart. 

Sail & Sign card: What is it? Sail & Sign is Carnival's onboard cashless credit program which allows you to charge, at your convenience, all your services and purchases paid throughout the cruise. All locations onboard will accept your Sail & Sign card for payment, casino will also accept cash. You will register online with funpass for the card and will be completed during embarkation as you check in. What forms of payment are accepted for Sail & Sign account? Credit Cards: Visa MasterCard Discover® American Express Diner's JCB (Japanese Credit Bureau) SeaMiles MasterCard Visa and MasterCard Prepaid Gift Card Note: Guests may use a checking account debit card as long as it is a

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registered MasterCard or Visa card, just note a hold will be placed to the available monies. How is my credit card charged? During embarkation, when your credit card is swiped, an initial approval of $50 is obtained. Throughout the voyage incremental holds will be obtained. This will reduce the amount of available credit on the credit card or restrict the availability of cash in the checking /debit account. Authorization hold releases to your account is entirely up to your issuing bank. All charges will be automatically billed at the end of the voyage. On the final morning of the cruise, a statement detailing all purchases made with your Sail & Sign card will be delivered to your stateroom. If you put down a cash deposit and there is an overpayment at the end of the cruise, you will receive the overpayment in the form of a check, attached to the detailed statement on the final morning of the cruise. Cash Deposit: U.S. Currency and Traveler's Checks are accepted as a form of deposit to open a Sail & Sign Account at the start of the cruise. As the guest approaches the deposit limit, the Information Desk will notify the guest that additional money must be deposited. Where can I view my Sail & Sign account? Guest Services can provide a balance throughout the cruise and you can also view the statement via your stateroom TV; just follow the options for folio review. Boarding Card: Your Sail & Sign Card will serve as your Boarding Card. This card identifies you as a Carnival guest and must be carried with you along with picture identification when you go ashore. Because the ship is closed to the public while docked at the various ports-of-call, you’ll have to show your Sail & Sign Card and picture I.D. to the officer on duty in order to return on board. Internet Access: Many ships have Internet access available now but the service is not cheap. They may have public access computers or an Internet Cafe in a certain location of the ship. Certain locations may also have wi-fi hotspots. But even if you bring your wireless (wifi) laptop they will charge you to use the Internet. Wifi is usually not available in your room, but you must leave your room and go to a certain area that is designated. At the time of this writing a $3.95 setup fee whether you are using your personal laptop or an Internet Cafe computer and then they charge .75 cents per

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minute or a package deal of 100 minutes for $55.00 or 250 minutes for $100. This can change..

Alcohol: You are not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages from home onboard the ship. You can purchase individual alcoholic drinks to be consumed onboard the ship from restaurants and bars. These can cost from about $5 to $11 usually. There will be a “drink of the day” that will be listed in the daily caper/news and if you purchase this drink it is around $6.95 and comes with a cup, you get refills for $5.95. These usually are very worth it, if you ask me! I come home with a collection of Carnival glasses.  If you purchase an liquor from an onboard shop then they will store it on the ship for you and return it to you on the night before the end of the cruise so you can pack it. If you purchase an alcoholic drink at a port then upon returning to the ship they will take the beverage and store it on the ship for you. Then they will return it to you on the night before the end of the cruise so you can pack it. Note – I was told that the bottles you get delivered to your stateroom the night before often get “consumed” at that. me..hint, hint for cheaper drinking on last night).....Also see Carnival's Liquor Policy. Unlimited Soda Program: Carnival has free water, juices, coffee/tea on the ship. However sodas are not free. You can purchase by the can as you wish or you can buy an unlimited soda card. These are good for your teens! All guests have the option to purchase the "Unlimited Soda Program" which will allow them unlimited soft drinks for the duration of the cruise at a onetime purchase price (including gratuities). The "Unlimited Soda Program" can be purchased at the casino, lobby and pool bar onboard the ship. In all locations where beverage service is offered, guests may receive a glass of the soft drink of their choice - one glass will be served at a time and only to the guest whose name appears on the card. The card cannot be used through room service. NOTE: A 15% gratuity will automatically be added to the purchase of the "Unlimited Soda Program.”

13 | P a g e Cruise Packing: Carry-ons are key. Pack everything needed to get you and your family through dinnertime -- bathing suits, cameras, medications, sandals, sunscreen, a change of clothes and toiletries. Your luggage will be on the ship but not delivered to your room sometimes till after dinner time so be prepared with what you need to get by till then on the first night. Hair dryers are not provided on the Ecstasy as far as I know, unless they updated them, I would prepare to bring one if needed. They will have shampoo/body wash provided for you as well as a basket of little samples in each bathroom that usually varies but will have a razor, Tylenol samples, and maybe a toothpaste sample or two. Casual attire is the order of the day. I suggest shorts, sundresses, tank tops, etc. for the ladies, and for men; shorts, polo shirts, T-shirts, etc. will do. For dining you may want to dress up a bit and/or bring along a dinner dress or sports coat. . Most evenings we have a Cruise Casual dress code, but there is a “Cruise Elegant evening” one night onboard, where you will have the opportunity to showcase your more elegant attire.

Cruise Casual Dining Dress Code: Gentlemen - Sport slacks, khakis, jeans (no cut-offs), dress shorts (long), collared sport shirts; Ladies - Casual dresses, casual skirts or pants and blouses, summer dresses, Capri pants, dress shorts, jeans (no cut-offs). Not permitted in the dining room during the Cruise Casual dinner for ladies and gentlemen: shorts, gym shorts, basketball shorts, beach flip-flops, bathing suit attire, cut-off jeans, sleeveless shirts for men and baseball hats. Cruise Elegant Dining Dress Code: Gentlemen - Dress slacks, dress shirts. We also suggest a sport coat. If you wish to wear suits and ties that is suggested. Ladies - Cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses; if you‘d like to show off your evening gowns, that's great too! Not permitted in the dining room during the Cruise Elegant dinner for ladies and gentlemen: shorts, gym shorts, T-shirts, beach flip-flops, bathing suit attire, jeans, cut-off jeans, sleeveless shirts for men, sportswear, and baseball hats.

Dining options: There are numerous options to find food 24/7 on our cruise. Even 24 hr pizza and ice-cream and free room service! The breakfast/lunch can be (and normally is) eaten buffet style up on the lido deck so you can stay by the pool and hang out and eat. However the dining room does offer a breakfast/lunch at set times. (I honestly have never had breakfast or lunch in the dining room ever.) For dinner, you can chose to eat in the dining room at your assigned time (we are all set for 6pm dining time) and you are set at tables assigned to you. This is the fancier dining experience on the ships and expects more dressier attire. Refer above for definition. You will want to enjoy this experience on “Elegant evening” as the waiters put on a show while serving, it is usually a lobster/steak dinner as well. Vegetarian meals are offered on every menu as well as low calorie, etc. You can have special needs met during your dining as the maitre’de is always very helpful!

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Washing clothes on ship: Each ship has at least 2 self-service launderettes located on the stateroom decks. There are two or three washers and dryers, and one iron and ironing board in each launderette. The cost is $3.00 per washer load and $3.00 per dryer load. Vending machines dispense small boxes of detergent and water softener at $1.00 per box. I have personally never used this on board, but wanted to share. Dr. on board: Should a guest require medical attention while aboard, the Medical Center staff is available to assist 24 hours a day. The Medical Center is equipped to treat minor non-emergency matters. Physicians are available to render services at a customary fee. While at sea or in port, the availability of medical care may be limited. Medications: Motion Sickness -complimentary Meclizine (Bonine) is available from the Medical Center, Room Service or the Information Desk, free of charge. A motion sickness shot can be administered to those who are actively vomiting, but not as preventive medicine; there is a fee for the shot. The Medical Center does not have motion sickness patches nor wristbands. Over-the-Counter medications for cold, cough, upset stomach or other minor illnesses can be purchased at the Medical Center from 8:00am-8:00pm. In addition, the shops on board may carry some of these items. Rentals on board: You can rent two way radios for use on the ship (good with teens, kids), strollers, or golf equipment for use during excursions. Sea sickness: Will you get sea sick? Each individual handles it differently but I personally never have and very very few people do. Here is a link on some good info on what you can do to prevent and help stop it if it occurs: sea sickness, what to do Photos on board ship: They will be taking your picture from the time you board the ship! They will come around at dinner and take photos, as well as in each port, and every night while dressed up for dinner. There is no charge to have these pictures taken, only a charge if you purchase. There will be a videographer as well. All the photographs taken are displayed daily in the photo gallery. Simply pick out your favorites and charge them to your Sail and Sign card.

Tipping: Carnival recommends that you spend $10 a day for tips which is broken

down to $5.50 to the headwaiter/waiter, $1 to the assistant waiter/kitchen staff and $3.50 to the cabin steward. This $10 charge is now automatically charged to your onboard account in the amount of $50 usually on the second day of cruise.. 15% gratuity is added to bar bills…so be prepared to see tips added to price of drinks as well.

Activities: On board the cruise ship there are usually many activities going on during day and evening hours. At night there is usually a show that can include comedy, singing and dancing. One night there is the “adult only” comedy show that is usually the highlight of all shows in my opinion as I am

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a huge comedy fan. During the day you can usually participate in activities such as swimming, rock climbing, basketball, ping-pong, etc. These activities are all free. There is also miniature golf to play! There also are other shows and activities such as dancing, karaoke, sexy legs contest, Bingo, hairy chest contest, belly flop contest, name that tune, Newlywed game, and more. Each room has a flat panel TV with movie channels and satellite channels. Newly released movies are shown daily as well and change each day. There is also an arcade on the ship for the teens/kids to play air hockey and video games as well as the “Camp Carnival” that will have monitored activities all day long for the kiddos and babysitting at night. If you have kids, they will have as much fun or more than you, trust me. You will not ever be bored on the ship! Some clubs located on ship are: Stripes Dance Club is a wild and crazy place…this is the “happening spot” at night. Chinatown also features music. The Rolls Royce -- and yes, there is a real Rolls on display -is a patisserie and coffee house, and the Crystal Palace Casino is often the hottest spot on the ship. The Blue Sapphire Lounge, a two-tiered showroom, features a lot of glitter, a lot of blue, some wonderfully comfortable seats, but also those darned poles that ruin sight-lines on the Fantasy-Class ships. It is a shame, because many of the shows produced in this room are about the best in the business. It is an elegant show room -- in a 90's sort of way. Crystal Palace Casino is a full-service casino with slots and table games and weekly slot and blackjack tournaments. Table games include blackjack and Caribbean Stud Poker, three card poker, roulette and craps. Slots are state-of-the-art..plus many other bars located throughout the ship!

Shore Excursions: I have suggested group excursions and included them in earlier section, however should you chose to forego these, the ship offers many options! The tour prices can range from cheap to expensive depending on what you do. They can range from $15 to over $150 per person. But many of the activities are a lot of fun. They can include snorkeling, horseback riding, zip lining, wine tasting, kayaking, hiking, sailing and more. Customs Declaration Forms/disembarkation: Before disembarking the cruise ship you have to fill out a customs declarations form listing all the souvenirs, alcohol and other things you bought at different ports. Each person is allowed to purchase and bring back to the United States up to $800 of duty-free merchandise, which includes one liter of an alcoholic beverage. If you purchase more than $800 worth of merchandise then you may have to pay duty tax on the rest of it. The last night

16 | P a g e on ship your luggage is to be placed outside your cabin by 11pm and the ships handlers gather it up. You will pick up your luggage after you leave the ship in the cruise terminal. The last morning on ship they do expect you up and going early and breakfast is served up on lido deck. They prefer you out of your cabin by no later than 8am and you can expect to start unloading passengers by 930am (depending on clearance from customs) and this is not a fun time. Lots of people standing around, sleepy and hungover wanting to get off the boat at the same time can make for unpleasant last moments on the ship! So be prepared to get up, get up on deck and wait for your time to be called off the ship. (based on color coded tags you were given the day before to place on your bags)

Cell Phone service: Yes, cell phone service is available on all ships in the Carnival fleet. While your ship is at sea, the cellular system is activated and you can make and receive calls, send and receive text messages, as well as view emails and browse the Internet with over 300 carriers worldwide. International roaming rates apply and are set and billed by your home carrier. Charges will appear on your regular cell phone bill. Please contact your carrier before your cruise to check rates for each service and ensure your plan allows you to roam. For more information, visit www.cellularatsea.com. Calling home: The ship's telecommunications network offers direct dialing via satellite from the staterooms telephone. This is available 24 hours a day regardless of the ship's location. This service is closed on the final day of the cruise at 4:00AM. The rate is $6.99 per minute for calls to the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and $9.99 per minute for all International calls. All charges are billed to the guest's on board Sail and Sign Card. Since all communication is via satellite, guests cannot use calling cards, credit cards, dial 800 toll-free numbers nor make a collect calls. Instructions and rates can be found in the cabin's directory. OR you can usually purchase minutes or charge minutes to a credit card and use pay phones while in port.

Spa services while on board: There are TONS of services offered for a fee at the

ship’s spa as well as daily specials that will be advertised in the Carnival Caper delivered to your room daily. Such services include: massages, facials, nails, hair, teeth whitening, hair braiding, up-do’s, men’s shaving and facials, etc..

ABOUT THE SHIP: Carnival Deckplans Your cabin number is located on your receipt. You can use the above link to locate it on the appropriate deck (IE Riviera or Main, etc) It won’t take you long to learn your way around and there are

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convenient maps located to help you as well as small pocket size ones you can pick up at the purser’s desk. VERY cool virtual tours of ship as well as a neat interactive map, check it out at: Carnival interactive map/virtual tour

Just some fun interesting information for you about the Carnival Ecstasy. The ship was built in 1991 as part of the “Fantasy Class” fleet. Recently redone (10/09) to add the addition of many amenities - a wireless Internet café, expanded Youth Program space (including a Circle "C" lounge), a Resort-Style pool,the splashy stylings of Carnival WaterWorks, a tranquil Serenity(SM) Adult-Only Retreat and 98 new private balconies. New carpet, and upholstery was added throughout as well. The ship was used during hurricane Katrina as a “floating home” for many evacuees. Builder: Kvaerner MASA Yards, Helsinki, Finland Gross Tonnage Beam:

70,367

31.5 m (103.0 ft)

Passengers (normal): Crew:

Length: 260.8 m (855.0 ft)

920

Service speed:

2,044

Passengers (maximum):

(majority are international but speak English!) 19.5 knots

2,594