I'm going on an Eastern Caribbean cruise. I've never been to that part of the world, nor have I been on a cruise. I'd like your little bits of knowledge. What will make life easier? What is the most fun? How can I save money? What kind of experiences did you have?

I read the thread about sneaking booze on, and I read Carnival's "Know before you go" stuff, but I want your input.

2/7/2010 12:43:18 PM

k

2/7/2010 12:44:22 PM

Don't go to Aruba.

2/7/2010 12:44:44 PM

they have some STD's that are so bad that they won't let you leave if you contract them, so wrap it up with the bartender with the dreads and the shitty weed.

*i'm sending this post from Indonesia

2/7/2010 12:47:01 PM

I'm leaving on the 14th for a cruise out of Miami. One of the girls is planning on sneaking booze on. I've never been on one either so I can't add any helpful information other than take the stairs everywhere so you don't get fat from eating all the free food. haha

2/7/2010 12:47:43 PM

for the cruises i've been on it was easy to sneak on alcohol - 2 liter bottles refilled with a similar color liquor

2/7/2010 1:01:16 PM

Sneaking booze on is a must it will save you literally hundreds of dollars. If you are poor sneak stuff like Bacardi 151 or Everclear on just so you can maxmize the space. I fill up everything I can get my hands on.. i have a drawer of large empty pill, robitussin, vitamin, aspirin bottles that I take on every cruise. Don't use shampoo bottles i dont care how much you rinse it out, it will taste like shampoo.

Security is pretty lax so you can probably get away with water bottles and stuff too but I just usually take a few extra steps just to safeguard against the nightmare of having a bottle confiscated.

2/7/2010 1:05:55 PM

2 liter bottles? damn son. I tried mouthwash bottles in separate bags and they pulled my shit, along with like 150 other people's .

I blame spring break and all the idiots from College of Charleston that were on the cruise with us though. One of the morons took a 24 pack of water, filled the middle bottles with vodka, and then tried to bring it through the carry on check. Naturally, they made him open all of the bottles.

If you do get caught and they take your stash, try buying stuff once you hit port in the Carribean and sneaking that on in water bottles. Worked out well for us They were fucking nazis about it when we left Charleston, but didn't even bother glancing at us coming on from the ports. I saw one kid walk through the metal detector with a pint shoved down his board shorts and the attendant didn't even bat an eyelash.

2/7/2010 1:08:29 PM

AHA at poopface.

Seriously though, don't party with the locals. The sex industry is extremely aggressive. I was flattered by the attention for like the first hour but it quickly got really weird and annoying. I realized when I got back that I was being propositioned for pay-to-play sex the whole time (by men and women!). Be rude and dismissive, not friendly.

A friend of mine got drunk and actually did have sex with the bartender with the dreads/shitty weed and gave him her number...it was over a year ago, and he still randomly calls her for money. It's not that big of a deal, but it's a regular reminder of some foolish shit she'd like to forget.

2/7/2010 1:09:43 PM

Having been on two carnival cruises, here is my input:

Use your own judgement on sneaking on alcohol. It has its pros and cons, and worst case scenario, they throw it away.

If you can spare the 30 dollars/head, go to the Supper Club on board at least once. It is worth every penny.

Book your shore excursions through Carnival. It may cost you a little more money, but if everything isn't perfect, they will make the situation right (PM for more details if you want them). Also, if you're doing a "water based" activity, definitely book them through carnival. I have yet to not be one of the last people back on the boat in port due to a scuba diving excursion.

Read the carnival caper nightly. It will give you a great idea of what all is going on onboard each day. Take a highlighter if you enjoy packing a lot into your days.

Go to the cruise info and debarkation talks onboard. They are both very informative about things going on and the crazy procedure for getting off the boat.

If i think of anymore I'll add it. Cruises are a really fun way to experience truly 5-star dining and see a lot of countries in a short time.

2/7/2010 1:11:50 PM

I just got back from royal caribbean cruise. I just put a couple of bottles of wine in my suitcase and had no problems bringing it aboard.

Also, if you decide to order drinks at the bar, just flirt with the bartender non-stop so you get free booze. Kind of a no-brainer though. That applies to other bars as well.

2/7/2010 1:19:17 PM

my brother snuck some alcohol on with no problem.

take advantage of the free champagne upon boarding and also the captain's cocktail or whatever it's called. there were two different times for the cocktail and they give you free booze (i went to both).

2/7/2010 2:03:53 PM

2/7/2010 3:30:56 PM

the poop deck is NOT what it sounds like

2/7/2010 3:52:51 PM

TenaciousC,

i actully just got back from a cruise on carnival. we went to Jamaica, and cayman islands. first off sneaking booze on the ship is not hard at all. i think i over did it a little bit. i took one of those bendable bladder bags you put water in. filled it with a 5th of tequila and got it on no problem. my buddy just stuck a 5th of rum in his bag still in the bottle and it got in to our cabin no problem. carnival is very relaxed about that. when i got on the ship, i put 400 dollers on my card. and at the end of the voyage i still had 187 dollars on it. i wound up buying alot of drinks on the ship anyway becuase they are pretty much the same price as what you would pay in a bar. also when you go to your ports of call it is easy to get liquor back on the ship as well. Depending on where you are going. alot of the stuff is going to be duty free and tax free.i suggest if you smoke buy ciggerttes out there, along with liquor, it will be dirt cheap. also if you are planning to do excursions. book them a head of time to save money. it will be cheaper, if your not sure if you wanna do anything. its also fun just to take the day and walk around.

Thats about all i got for that. what ship are you going on? what are the ports of call?

2/7/2010 4:05:06 PM

God damn, I am really getting old/stupid

I read "Caribbean" and thought "oh, that sea between Europe and Africa"

2/7/2010 7:18:42 PM

Easy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7yfISlGLNU&feature=player_embedded


Start going up to people exclaiming: "I'm on a boat. I'm on a boat. Everybody look at me cause I'm sailing on a boat!"

2/7/2010 7:27:34 PM

Oooooo, HAI THREAD

We just booked a Carnival cruise on the Fantasy. Stops in two location in the Bahamas, then a stop in the Keys. Boarding in Charleston

2/7/2010 7:31:11 PM

smuggled 7 half gallons onto my honeymoon cruise.

ended up giving away some and just found some extra captain that my wife had stashed in a pocket.

no one checks for christ sake

2/7/2010 7:31:23 PM

^^^ bought a few of these from six dollar shirts last week:



http://6dollarshirts.com/t-shirts/Im-On-A-Boat-p-11307.html

2/7/2010 7:35:15 PM

how to swim

2/7/2010 7:35:42 PM

bringing your own liquor is totally classy.

2/7/2010 8:20:55 PM

you silly bunch of drunks

next you'll be trying to smuggle shit in with swallowed condoms

2/7/2010 8:22:25 PM

lol

2/7/2010 8:23:14 PM

2/7/2010 8:23:34 PM

so is charging 7 dollars for a bud light.

fuck paying 800 dollars for a cruise and 1600 for booze.

2/7/2010 8:24:55 PM

lol poor people

2/7/2010 8:25:43 PM

7 for a beer is 'normal' for me living in NYC and all

2/7/2010 8:26:11 PM

hymietown

2/7/2010 8:27:01 PM

im sorry for those who pay $7 for a bud light.

i sure am enjoying my $.60 beer tonight.

2/7/2010 8:30:15 PM

Quote :

""oh, that sea between Europe and Africa""

weird. i was thinking eastern mediteranean as well until i started reading posts about bartenders with dreads, sex slaves, and spring break coc students.

2/7/2010 8:35:54 PM

Quote :

"Thats about all i got for that. what ship are you going on? what are the ports of call?"

Going on the Glory, and we're hitting Nassau, Grand Turk, St. Thomas, and someplace else I can't remember right now. Eastern Caribbean.

2/7/2010 10:16:49 PM

The Glory was my first cruise as well. Its big enough you'll spend the 1st few days getting all sorts of lost.

Just remember that decks 5 and 9 always run the length of the boat, and most of the rest do not.

2/7/2010 10:38:24 PM

Thanks for the good stuff, everyone...

And it turns out pawprint and I are going on the same cruise! Lol.

2/7/2010 11:20:43 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezdAiDh31D8

2/7/2010 11:22:19 PM

bttt since Chit Chat has gone insane...

2/8/2010 12:17:59 AM

how easy is it to get drugs onto a cruise? I don't care much about pot or really even paying for the alcohol but I have a feeling I'd want to take a fuckton of mushrooms

2/8/2010 1:41:13 AM

Don't take your young upper class fiance with you, because she'll fall in love with some little shit from steerage, fuck him, and then run off with the fancy necklace you just gave her.

Slut.

2/8/2010 5:46:53 AM

lol

2/8/2010 7:36:08 AM

you're not for ze scuba?

2/8/2010 7:44:14 AM

Bring as much booze as possible with you and buy some at the different ports along your way so you don't have to pay the $TEXAS on drinks

2/8/2010 7:44:26 AM

WATCH OUT FOR THIS GUY

2/8/2010 7:44:39 AM

I like how this thread is suppose to cover anything about cruises.....and yet all there is information on sneaking booze on board.

Check out http://www.cruiseaddicts.com

Everything you need to know is there.

2/8/2010 8:23:45 AM

^ that might not be the right url...

thanks everyone for the tips!

2/8/2010 8:23:16 PM

just booked a 7 night on the Carnival Liberty for April.

this will be my second cruise (took one last year on Royal Carribean) and I'm super stoked. As for tips, I would say plan your excursions ahead of time, because if you wait to do it on the boat, you will have to wait in a long line and things fill up fast. We ended up not doing an excursion in Nassau. We walked around and did our own tour. If you go to Nassau, check out the Atlantis resort and casino. Its pretty amazing; they have a huge aquarium there that you can see some of (hotel guests are the only ones that get full access).

Also, be advised that almost everybody in Nassau was hitting us up for tips whenever we did anything (boat ride, tour of a fort there, and some other stuff). It gets a little annoying at times

2/8/2010 9:18:46 PM

ive gone on a couple now, and the most annoying tip place ever was haiti.

it wasnt even the real haiti, just a fake beach called labadee that royal caribbean owned

people hounding you for money the whole time. poor bastards

2/8/2010 9:21:01 PM

^ you thought it was bad then...

2/8/2010 9:22:01 PM

If you want to buy things like cuban cigars....don't buy them from the dudes selling shit out of the back of their cab right in front of the dock

2/8/2010 9:22:06 PM