Expert: Linda - 11/14/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi Linda,
I am thinking about taking my 15 yr old daughter on Carnival's Glory departing Dec 13th from Port Canaveral for mother daughter bonding time and Christmas present. We live in SC and will be driving.  Entertainment on ship and port excursions are important features for us. This will be my daughter's first cruise.  I am interested in information about the ship's entertainment geared toward her age group and shore excursions. She is active and loves water sports and history. The ports of call for that trip are; Cozumel, Belize, Costa Maya, and Nassau. How is the spa on this ship? What are the seas usually like in Dec.- windy and rough or smooth?  Should I spend extra on an ocean view room or stay "inside" and spend the extra money on shore excursions?  If I take another teenager can we 3 stay in the same room?
Thanks, Donna

ANSWER: What a great idea!  Donna, as far as the ports; you can snorkel at all the ports.  Belize had lots of Mayan ruins that are incredible.  Will take all day, but worth it.  In Costa Maya, it's a port town, lots of really historic churches and a town where you can watch the fisherman catch and prep their fish.  Very clean, people super friendly.  Cozumel you can go to the beaches, snorkel, also can go to Cancun.
Nassau is my least favorite, can snorkel, but not the best; shopping for inexpensive gifts ok, also can do the walking tour for the history of the island.  Most to to Paradise for the gambeling and just the size of the hotel.

Ship will be super decorated and very festive, you'll all appreciate the spirit.  Glory is great ship, spas are not run by Carnival, forget the name, but all are clean and experienced trained employees.  Do not expect it to be inexpensive, it's not.  You can look up the current prices on line at Carnival.  You can also take a spa tour on the day you embark as well.  Least expensive on days where ship is IN port, and they offer specials.  Entertainers change weekly, again, go to Carnival website and see who is on for that week.  all nightly shows are fine for teens, as is the EARLY comedian (late one may or not be suitable, depending on her maturity).  Pool games etc, fine for all ages.

Weather can be beautiful or stormy, you just can't ever tell.  We like this time of year to cruise as it's not so HOT, we've had beautiful weather on most cruises, but a few stormy ones as well.   Of course, that's with any time of the year!

Now, for the room for 3, not a whole lot of them, so see what's available.  The ocean view only has a window, so for the money, stay inside (also easier for 3).  We like the balcony rooms, but being older, we like to just sit on the balcony and read.  You 2/3 will be far busier, so save your money and get an inside.  You may also try to get a "inside guarantee", which means you pay the least amount for that catagory cabin, but MAY get bumped up to a better cabin.  If there is the 3rd person, probably won't happen as there are not a lot of rooms for a triple.

Log into CRUISECRITIC.COM, join the community (free), then go to Carnival....Then message boards, you can post lots of questions there and be answered by seasoned cruisers, you can also search questions that were asked before; you can also read about who liked which excursions and why etc.

Ask away if you have more questions.  Have a wonderful trip...want another kid?  (a really OLD kid?)

Linda

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: First, thanks for the quick reply!
From Belize there is a 7 hour tour to the Xunantunich Mayan ruins. This sounds like an excellent site to vist, however, it's a 2 hour bus ride one way. My daughter wants to see Myan ruins so I want to choose the best site. Is this site worth the 7 hour investment? I wouldn't want to use our entire day in Belize for this tour if it wasn't great. From Costa Maya, Carnival has an excursion to Chacchoben- it's a 4 hour tour. Carnival describes the Chacchoben site as "virtually un-excavated" -can a virtually un-excavated site be very interesting???
I would only invest one day for touring Mayan ruins. I have been to Nassau several times and I agree with you that Nassau is my least favorite port - we would probably spend the day at the Atlantis Resort. Thanks for the info on the rooms - I did not know about the "inside guarantee"-Carnival is advertising this cruise -inside room- for $429. At that rate would they be likely to bump us to a better cabin??  Thanks for telling me "Glory" is a great ship as that's very important. What a great service you do - I am very appreciative.  
Yes, I would love another kid - even a really "old kid"!!
Donna

Answer
Donna, yes, 7 hr is worth it, they are out on the Pan american Highway and  do take 2 hrs to get there.  Take water with you though it should be provided, wasn't enough for us.  Also, you'll probably stop at a hotel for drink, bathroom break.  Careful, they tend to give you change in their currency, so take $1.00 bills.  Belize is NOT a port you can get off the ship and walk to town, it's not a pretty port and most of what you'll see from the ship is a shipping port.  It's 4th world if that's possible, so you're better off on the whole day trip.  Very friendly, clean people, just very, very poor.  You might prep your daughter, it can be daunting seeing this until you realize this is the norm for them and they're very happy living this way and don't know any other way.
I haven't been to chacchoben, but agree with you, probably not worth it, but ask as cruiscritic just to verify our feelings.  The $429 is a great price for a 7 day cruise.  We like from the after thanksgiving cruise to the one before Christmas, much less expensive, cooler weather, most kids are still in school so you don't have the "mini munchkins" running around and the prices are good as most people are too busy with Christmas to vacation...this year the economy also.

How the guarantee works is they sell you a room "guarantee" say at $429, now they have no more cabins available for that price but customer wants that price....they sell the cabin, then you booked first...so they bump you to a higher cabin.  Since it's so close to sailing though, you probably don't have much wiggle room.  Usually works better when you book your cruise early.  don't know when you went to Atlantis last, but it's really expanded.  You may end up finding a festival, who knows.  Remember, if there are 2 of you, try to get 2 more to go with you and save some $ on the cab, they still charge for crossing that bridge!

Thanks for offering to adopt me :)

Linda