Travel

· If your ship is going in and out of a US port, you do not have to have your passport! You can use an enhanced license or a birth certificate with ID! This is convenient if planning a last-minute trip or a larger group when someone might not have the means to get a passport in time. 

· I asked how this works with maiden names and having a different last name than your birth certificate- your birth certificate is only used to verify your birthdate. 

· Print your entire party’s boarding passes and luggage tags before you arrive to the port. Attach your luggage tags before you pull into the dock as well. 

· The process of pulling into the loading zone of the port is chaotic and happens very quickly! If your luggage tags are attached to your bags you are able to hand your bags to the baggage teller and not have to worry about them until they are brought to your room. 

· Attach a personal luggage tag with your name and contact information to your bag in case the paper luggage tag were to fall off. We did experience this on the trip and the most helpful thing would have been to have a picture of everyone’s bag to show the cruise employees so they can help you search. 

· Pack your valuable items in your carry on in case your luggage is lost or misplaced. 

· Highly suggest packing a swimsuit and change of clothes in your carry on. You do not have immediate access to your room when you board but you do have immediate access (in un-foggy situations) to the pool, unlimited food, and the pool! 

· Debarking the ship, I highly encourage carrying your suitcases off of the ship yourself. There is an option to leave your bags outside of your door the night before you debark and then you pick them up on the curb once you are through customs. The tricky part with this is you wait until your bag’s numbers are called before you can start the debarking process. When you carry your bags off of the ship with you are able to start the debarking process as soon as the floor of your room is called. 

· Onsite parking at the port is pricier than an offsite option but is convenient on both ends of the cruise. In my opinion it is worth it to pay for the convenience of being able to to walk in and out of the port straight to your car without a shuttle or Uber. 

· Be prepared to be flexible with weather changes, possible delays, and port cancelations. 

· For example, we experienced an eight-hour fog delay on the beginning of our cruise. Our original check in time was 1PM and we were not able to board the cruise until 9PM because of fog and the port being closed. 

· We were originally supposed to dock in Progresso and Cozumel. Because of the delay our Progresso stop was cancelled and we docked overnight in Cozumel instead. 

· I HIGHLY suggest booking any possible excursions through a third-party operator instead of through the cruise line. From my research and experience the prices are significantly cheaper through third party sources for the same excursion. 

· Our original excursion was booked through a third-party source for a day pass at an all-inclusive resort in Progresso. This included transportation to and from the port, all you can eat food and drink, pool and beach access. This is great for a larger group because everyone would be able to be together and not have to pay for food off of the cruise. 

· Our stop in Progresso was cancelled so our excursion was cancelled as well. The resort refunded our entire fee because the ship did not dock. 

· When we docked in Cozumel the first day we went into town to search for a reliable and fairly priced excursion for the next day. We were able to book a snorkeling excursion and were fully satisfied and thankful for our experience. 

· The advice in this is to travel a little farther into town and leave the “tourist trap” of the port. The people soliciting for excursions in the port are exclusively in the game for money in the moment. From our experience, they were not willing to have a conversation about the following day and were not helpful in planning ahead for excursions. 

· Venture into town for cheaper taxis and more authentic shopping and food as well. 

· Make sure to keep you documents such as passport and ID safe while in the port. No matter where you are make sure to be alert of your surroundings and watch for pick pocketing. 

· TIPS TIPS TIPS. Make sure to bring single dollar bills. From housekeeping to excursions in the port to your servers at dinner it is kind to be able to tip throughout your time on the cruise. The cruise employees will learn your names and give incredible service regardless but it is great to be able to tip when possible. From my experiences, I have found that cruise employees work crazy hours and a large majority send home their wages to support their families located across the world. 

· If you do not want to be locked in to a dining time for dinner, choose “your time dining.” This allows you to go to your dining hall anytime the meal is served and the seating at that point is first come first serve. Your time dining allows you to make your schedule as you go and attend any events on the ship you might be interested in! 

· Make sure you enter airplane mode on your phone as soon as you get on the cruise if you do not want to incur roaming fees or international charges. 

· Pack a power trip- most rooms only have one outlet with one individual US plug. 

· EAT EAT EAT! Enjoy the many food options and of course enjoy the unlimited soft serve! 

· Bring towel clips to reserve your chair early in the morning of at sea days. This makes sure your towels do not blow away and insures other passengers will not claim your towel as their own throughout the day. 

· Pack a refillable water bottle and coffee mug for convenience! Coffee is free and cruise ship water is safe to drink! 

· Room service is free from 6AM to 10PM!

· If you have a large group or traveling with children bring walkie talkies on board as a form of communication! 

· One 12 pack of soda or case of water is allowed on board per passenger! This helps you avoid paying for carbonation while at sea. 

· Carnival customer service is incredible! Any question I had they were able to answer! 

· The older the cruise ship the cheaper the booking is in general. Ships are maintained excellently! 

· If you are able to book your trip early you have the option of paying in installments. I highly advise to continue to watch the prices of the trip and if there are any promotions, holiday sales, etc you can call the cruise line and ask for a price adjustment.