Expert: Linda - 3/20/2008

Question
QUESTION: My 3 person group is trying to find the least expensive way to travel to and from the Miami Seaport(Carnival)from Hollywood, Florida. We are traveling Sunday to Sunday.

ANSWER: from Hollywood, you're probably better to take a cab...IF all of your luggage will fit in the trunk of the cab :)  The cab costs the same for 1 or 4 people.  If you take the shuttle it's around $12.50 a person, most have told me the cab was the best deal, UNLESS you booked with the cruise line and were catching their bus.

I personally hate waiting for everyone to get on the bus, then when you get to the port, everyone is getting off at the same time.  I always advise you call a reputable cab company, (yellow cab) BEFORE you call them and get your pricing ahead of time.  Most are honest, just don't like to see anyone abused.

Ask away if you have any more questions; enjoy your cruise!

Linda

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

QUESTION: Thx for that info. I also would like to ask another question. We are traveling with our 17 year old son and we are worried about hime being bored. We have heard of this O2 club for teens.
     The wife and i love to scuba dive and our excursions will consist mostly of that. What do we do with the kid meanwhile? Does Carnival provide adequate supervision for children? Or at least group excursions for teens exclusively?

Answer
17 is a really tough time, old, but not old enough.  They do have the teen club and frankly, it will depend on who happens to be onboard for that particular cruise.  If there are enough of any one group, they expand what's scheduled.

Should go to at least the first gathering, what I've seen is some will just hit it off with others and will hang around together for the cruise and may not even go back to the teen club, I've seen other older teens, like yours that hit it off with some of the younger crew and they spend some time together.

I would let him also choose his excursions, as long as they're by the ship and let him go by himself or with others he may meet.  We also had a cruise where we had a few kids hang with us on excursions they weren't into what Mom and Dad were doing.  17 year olds ususally don't need supervision, if they don't have their morals, know right from wrong and aren't responsible, the cruise won't make or break that.

The only place I would NOT let my kids go alone was in Jamaica, just too many drugs and pushers.  

Younger kids have it a bit easier as they're easier to entertain than the "almost" grown ones.  There are still things for him to do, basketball, table tennis, pool and pool games, arcade etc.  Try to get him involved on the internet with Carnival and looking ahead at excursions, it'll give him some food for thought.

Hope you have a wonderful time, ask away if you have more questions.

Linda