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Carnival Ecstasy Cruise Tips...
Valuable "Insider Tips" to enhance your cruise experience
Exclusively from Great Rates Travel Service!
Valuable "Insider Tips" to enhance your cruise experience
Exclusively from Great Rates Travel Service!
What to See and Do…How to get Free Stuff Onboard…and Other Great Tips
To Save you Money and Just have More Fun on your Carnival Cruise!...
1. Board Early! You can usually get on board by 11am (as soon as the ship is cleared of
departing passengers), and there will be a Bon Voyage Buffet waiting for you poolside when you
arrive (on Lido deck 10). If you arrive early, we recommend the Ships Tour, usually scheduled
around 2pm on embarkation day (check the daily activity schedule in your room or at the Purser’s
Information Desk for the exact time). You can also use the extra time to unpack, explore the ship,
or enjoy a Sail-Away Drink Special by the pool. *Note that effective February 18, 2008: the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security now requires that all passengers MUST be on board at least
one hour prior to the ships scheduled departure time so that the cruise line can submit the full
passenger and crew manifest 60 minutes prior to departure. If you do not complete your
FunPass pre-registration at least 4 days before your cruise, you will need to check in at least
90 minutes prior to departure. Late passengers may be denied boarding or delay departure. So
board early and start your vacation that much sooner!
2. Pick up a pocket-size “Deck Plan” at the Purser’s Desk – keep it with you during your cruise
so you can find your way to the different events, activities, and dining areas available. The Carnival
Ecstasy is a huge floating resort and you’ll be delighted by all there is to see and do on board!
3. Indulge Yourself with the gourmet selections in the formal Dining Room… If you can’t decide
between the Maine Lobster and the Chateau Briand – you can order Both! You will find that your
wait staff is happy to cater to your specific desires. You may want to try one of the entrée
selections as an appetizer, or have several appetizers or salads as your entrée. Don’t be shy—
this is your opportunity to sample popular delicacies from around the world. (We highly
recommend the Beef Wellington, Steaks, and jumbo shrimp, as well as the Baked Alaska and
other exotic deserts!)
4. When you’re looking for an alternative to the gourmet 5-Star dining choices in the main dining
room or for a snack in between, the Panorama Buffet Bar and Grill offers a tasty variety of dishes
from around the world…and if you’re in a hurry and don’t want to wait, you might also enjoy the
fresh salad and pasta bar, where you can enjoy delicious muffins, croissants, fruit, or cereals at
breakfast, as well as fruit and many delightful salads, side dishes and delectable deserts at lunch
and dinner. Seafood lovers will also enjoy Carnival's Sushi Bar, open nightly on the Promenade
Deck (not listed in the schedule). Plus ice-cream & frozen yogurt available 24-hours a day!
5. Try Room Service... A full menu is available 24 hours a day. Enjoy breakfast in bed! You can
also leave a breakfast menu order form on your door and it will be delivered at your preferred time
(helpful on days when you’re leaving early for shore excursions.) Kids love to call and order a
plate of cookies and brownies for a late night snack. (Room service is free until 10pm, but tips are
appreciated).
6. You will love the 24-hour Pizzeria, at the back of the Lido deck behind the Buffet. They feature
many fresh-made varieties of exotic and traditional pizzas (I recommend the spinach and goat
cheese pizza… it has a fancier name at the pizzeria, but great by any name!)
7. Read the daily “Carnival Capers” (delivered to your cabin every night) for a daily schedule of fun-
filled activities, and featured live entertainment and performances. You’ll also find loads of great
information about special events, your ports of call, and daily specials available throughout the
ship. We recommend you tear out the summarized schedule on the back page of the Capers
to carry with you during the day. Here are some highlights…
8. Get To Know the Ship: It’s a good idea to take a walking tour of the entire ship early in your
cruise. There are a lot of areas you may never see otherwise (you can skip decks 3-6 which only
have passenger rooms and the Medical Center). On our last cruise we found a couple little gems
on the last day that I wish we’d known about sooner! We recommend you check out these
favorites…
9. Attach a colorful ribbon or streamer to your stateroom door to help you find your cabin more
easily (or to your Balcony railing if you wish to see it from shore!).
10. Bring or Rent Short-Wave Radios to keep in touch!...With so much to do and see on board the
ship, you can save yourself a lot of time and frustration by using short-wave radios or walkie-
talkies to keep in touch with your party. The ship’s gift store sells them for $50 and up, but you can
also rent a nice set on board from the ship’s Golf Pro for about $39/week. Read your Day One
Carnival Capers (or ask at the Purser’s desk) for the time and location to meet the Golf Pro for the
radio rentals. (You can also ask this PGA certified Golf Pro about the ship’s Golf Academy and
putting lessons, as well as golfing shore excursions available at your ports of call.)
11. Save Money…Bring your Own Sodas! Carnival allows you to carry aboard a 12-pack of your
favorite soft drinks, which is a good idea if you like soda, because there is a charge for soft drinks
on board. (Coffee, hot and ice tea, milk, punch, and juices are all complimentary in the dining
areas.) Ask your room steward for ice and they will keep your stateroom’s ice bucket full during
your cruise, so you can pour your own drinks. You can also buy a “Soda Card” on board for about
$4-5/day, which entitles you to unlimited sodas from any bar or restaurant area during your cruise.
Buy your soda card on the first day of your cruise and you’ll also get a large souvenir mug free that
you can use for soda refills.
12. A bottle of Wine or Champagne may also be brought from home to help you celebrate your
special occasion, for consumption in your stateroom only (or there is a $10 corkage fee if you wish
to drink it in the dining room.)
13. Pick up a Free deck of Carnival souvenir Playing Cards at the Purser’s Information desk
anytime!…beats the price at the gift shop! Very few people know about this one--but Carnival is
happy to give you a deck of cards anytime you stop by the desk, just for asking!
14. Don't miss the Bon Voyage Cocktail Party on the last night of your cruise… you’ll meet the
ships captain & crew, and receive complimentary cocktails and hors doeuvres too! (They don't tell
you it's free in the ship's "Carnival Capers", so check your program for the exact time!)
15. Hang out by the pool more… with four or five activities on the schedule to choose from about
every fifteen minutes, it may be hard to remember that you came to relax. But you’ll probably
treasure the time you spent lounging by the pool most of all…the poolside ambiance is festive,
and the sun is warm. You’ll often find live island music and poolside games such as the hilarious
Hairy Chest Contest, Belly Flop contest, Trivia Games, and an amazing Ice-Carving
Demonstration.
16. Don’t Miss the Sunsets!... True romantics gather at dusk on the ship’s bow (or stern,
depending on which way the ship is headed!) From the upper decks you can enjoy dramatic
views -- the unobstructed sunsets on the open sea are truly remarkable. Star-gazing and sunrise
are also excellent! If you’re lucky enough to have a Private Balcony stateroom, you’ll enjoy
spectacular, unobstructed sunsets from your balcony while sailing in one direction, and then
sunrises in the other! (You will find the exact time of Sunrise and Sunset in your daily Carnival
Capers.)
17. If you enjoy Fine Art, you’ll find sensational values at the On-board Art Auctions – plus
complimentary champagne and free drawings for fine art! View original signed works while
learning about famous artists such as Dali, Neiman, Tarkay, Max, Steynovitz, and Picasso, selling
at nearly half of their appraised values, with some works starting as low as $30.
18. Children aged 2-17 will LOVE Carnival’s Award-winning Camp Carnival, Club O2" and
"Circle C" youth activities! Young passengers enjoy a full schedule of activities and fun-packed
events custom tailored to each age group. (Scavenger Hunts, Dancing lessons, ice-cream
socials, talent show, video, arcade, and board games, arts, crafts, t-shirt painting…loads of fun
activities, games and prizes!) Note that Children age 10 and over are allowed to sign themselves
in and out – but they won’t want to leave!
19. Gratuities ARE adjustable. Carnival now recommends gratuities of $11.50 per passenger,
per day to cover your wait staff and room stewards ($57.50pp for a 5-night cruise). For your
convenience, Carnival automatically adds this amount to your on board Sail & Sign account on the
last day of your cruise (unless you have prepaid gratuities). In the fine print though, you will read
that you are free to adjust the gratuities up or down, or have them removed completely from
your on-board account if you would prefer to tip the staff directly. We think you'll find the staff
well worth it though!
20. Top Suggestions for Your Ports of Call…
Whatever you choose to do on your Carnival cruise, you are in for a FUNTASTIC Caribbean
Vacation!
Thank you for using Great Rates Travel Service! We hope that our personal Insider Tips and
Suggestions will help you to better enjoy this fun-filled, exciting vacation! Please let us know if you
have any additional tips for this ship which you'd like to share with our future guests. We would
love to hear back from you after your cruise, and we are also looking for photos and suggestions
for our new Past Guests "Feedback” page of our website! Thank you again, and Bon Voyage!
Debby and Joe DeWeese, Owners
Great Rates Travel Service
To Save you Money and Just have More Fun on your Carnival Cruise!...
1. Board Early! You can usually get on board by 11am (as soon as the ship is cleared of
departing passengers), and there will be a Bon Voyage Buffet waiting for you poolside when you
arrive (on Lido deck 10). If you arrive early, we recommend the Ships Tour, usually scheduled
around 2pm on embarkation day (check the daily activity schedule in your room or at the Purser’s
Information Desk for the exact time). You can also use the extra time to unpack, explore the ship,
or enjoy a Sail-Away Drink Special by the pool. *Note that effective February 18, 2008: the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security now requires that all passengers MUST be on board at least
one hour prior to the ships scheduled departure time so that the cruise line can submit the full
passenger and crew manifest 60 minutes prior to departure. If you do not complete your
FunPass pre-registration at least 4 days before your cruise, you will need to check in at least
90 minutes prior to departure. Late passengers may be denied boarding or delay departure. So
board early and start your vacation that much sooner!
2. Pick up a pocket-size “Deck Plan” at the Purser’s Desk – keep it with you during your cruise
so you can find your way to the different events, activities, and dining areas available. The Carnival
Ecstasy is a huge floating resort and you’ll be delighted by all there is to see and do on board!
3. Indulge Yourself with the gourmet selections in the formal Dining Room… If you can’t decide
between the Maine Lobster and the Chateau Briand – you can order Both! You will find that your
wait staff is happy to cater to your specific desires. You may want to try one of the entrée
selections as an appetizer, or have several appetizers or salads as your entrée. Don’t be shy—
this is your opportunity to sample popular delicacies from around the world. (We highly
recommend the Beef Wellington, Steaks, and jumbo shrimp, as well as the Baked Alaska and
other exotic deserts!)
4. When you’re looking for an alternative to the gourmet 5-Star dining choices in the main dining
room or for a snack in between, the Panorama Buffet Bar and Grill offers a tasty variety of dishes
from around the world…and if you’re in a hurry and don’t want to wait, you might also enjoy the
fresh salad and pasta bar, where you can enjoy delicious muffins, croissants, fruit, or cereals at
breakfast, as well as fruit and many delightful salads, side dishes and delectable deserts at lunch
and dinner. Seafood lovers will also enjoy Carnival's Sushi Bar, open nightly on the Promenade
Deck (not listed in the schedule). Plus ice-cream & frozen yogurt available 24-hours a day!
5. Try Room Service... A full menu is available 24 hours a day. Enjoy breakfast in bed! You can
also leave a breakfast menu order form on your door and it will be delivered at your preferred time
(helpful on days when you’re leaving early for shore excursions.) Kids love to call and order a
plate of cookies and brownies for a late night snack. (Room service is free until 10pm, but tips are
appreciated).
6. You will love the 24-hour Pizzeria, at the back of the Lido deck behind the Buffet. They feature
many fresh-made varieties of exotic and traditional pizzas (I recommend the spinach and goat
cheese pizza… it has a fancier name at the pizzeria, but great by any name!)
7. Read the daily “Carnival Capers” (delivered to your cabin every night) for a daily schedule of fun-
filled activities, and featured live entertainment and performances. You’ll also find loads of great
information about special events, your ports of call, and daily specials available throughout the
ship. We recommend you tear out the summarized schedule on the back page of the Capers
to carry with you during the day. Here are some highlights…
- Try the exotic daily drink specials (announced in your daily Carnival Capers) …These
tasty tropical favorites are quite affordable at about $4.75 each! - A wonderful variety of ship tours, demonstrations, lessons and seminars are held daily.
We recommend the Spa tour and the Galley Tour (you’ll be amazed by what goes in to the
preparation and service of thousands of five-course meals to the ships guests each day!) - The on board Spa and Beauty Salon offer a full variety of luxurious services such as
massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, and beauty treatments, from $20 up. You’ll
need to reserve space early if you want an appointment the day of the Captain’s
Dinner/Formal night. But if you are looking for a deal, you’ll want to keep an eye on the
daily specials advertised in the Carnival Capers, like a mini massage and facial, manicure
and pedicure…ALL for about $65! Ladies will also find numerous beauty and fitness
seminars scheduled daily, as well as drawings for free products and services.
8. Get To Know the Ship: It’s a good idea to take a walking tour of the entire ship early in your
cruise. There are a lot of areas you may never see otherwise (you can skip decks 3-6 which only
have passenger rooms and the Medical Center). On our last cruise we found a couple little gems
on the last day that I wish we’d known about sooner! We recommend you check out these
favorites…
- You’ll find some of the best views on the entire ship just out the back doors of the Buffet
area, nearly hidden behind the Pizzeria and bar. This is an ideal spot for enjoying a
morning cup of coffee, light meal, or desert. The panoramic views from these tables are
truly inspirational! (Pick up your coffee/juice, muffins, salad, or favorite entrée at the Buffet
or Pizzeria and carry it outside with you). You might take your morning coffee and the daily
Carnival Capers schedule of events with you and make your plans for the day’s activities
and festivities! - The Lido deck main pool and hot tubs are great fun, but for a quieter area to lounge in the
sun, read a book, or enjoy a romantic twilight dip with your sweetheart, go up to the
Verandah Deck 11 where you’ll find a swimming pool and two Jacuzzi tub’s that many
people never see.
9. Attach a colorful ribbon or streamer to your stateroom door to help you find your cabin more
easily (or to your Balcony railing if you wish to see it from shore!).
10. Bring or Rent Short-Wave Radios to keep in touch!...With so much to do and see on board the
ship, you can save yourself a lot of time and frustration by using short-wave radios or walkie-
talkies to keep in touch with your party. The ship’s gift store sells them for $50 and up, but you can
also rent a nice set on board from the ship’s Golf Pro for about $39/week. Read your Day One
Carnival Capers (or ask at the Purser’s desk) for the time and location to meet the Golf Pro for the
radio rentals. (You can also ask this PGA certified Golf Pro about the ship’s Golf Academy and
putting lessons, as well as golfing shore excursions available at your ports of call.)
11. Save Money…Bring your Own Sodas! Carnival allows you to carry aboard a 12-pack of your
favorite soft drinks, which is a good idea if you like soda, because there is a charge for soft drinks
on board. (Coffee, hot and ice tea, milk, punch, and juices are all complimentary in the dining
areas.) Ask your room steward for ice and they will keep your stateroom’s ice bucket full during
your cruise, so you can pour your own drinks. You can also buy a “Soda Card” on board for about
$4-5/day, which entitles you to unlimited sodas from any bar or restaurant area during your cruise.
Buy your soda card on the first day of your cruise and you’ll also get a large souvenir mug free that
you can use for soda refills.
12. A bottle of Wine or Champagne may also be brought from home to help you celebrate your
special occasion, for consumption in your stateroom only (or there is a $10 corkage fee if you wish
to drink it in the dining room.)
13. Pick up a Free deck of Carnival souvenir Playing Cards at the Purser’s Information desk
anytime!…beats the price at the gift shop! Very few people know about this one--but Carnival is
happy to give you a deck of cards anytime you stop by the desk, just for asking!
14. Don't miss the Bon Voyage Cocktail Party on the last night of your cruise… you’ll meet the
ships captain & crew, and receive complimentary cocktails and hors doeuvres too! (They don't tell
you it's free in the ship's "Carnival Capers", so check your program for the exact time!)
15. Hang out by the pool more… with four or five activities on the schedule to choose from about
every fifteen minutes, it may be hard to remember that you came to relax. But you’ll probably
treasure the time you spent lounging by the pool most of all…the poolside ambiance is festive,
and the sun is warm. You’ll often find live island music and poolside games such as the hilarious
Hairy Chest Contest, Belly Flop contest, Trivia Games, and an amazing Ice-Carving
Demonstration.
16. Don’t Miss the Sunsets!... True romantics gather at dusk on the ship’s bow (or stern,
depending on which way the ship is headed!) From the upper decks you can enjoy dramatic
views -- the unobstructed sunsets on the open sea are truly remarkable. Star-gazing and sunrise
are also excellent! If you’re lucky enough to have a Private Balcony stateroom, you’ll enjoy
spectacular, unobstructed sunsets from your balcony while sailing in one direction, and then
sunrises in the other! (You will find the exact time of Sunrise and Sunset in your daily Carnival
Capers.)
17. If you enjoy Fine Art, you’ll find sensational values at the On-board Art Auctions – plus
complimentary champagne and free drawings for fine art! View original signed works while
learning about famous artists such as Dali, Neiman, Tarkay, Max, Steynovitz, and Picasso, selling
at nearly half of their appraised values, with some works starting as low as $30.
18. Children aged 2-17 will LOVE Carnival’s Award-winning Camp Carnival, Club O2" and
"Circle C" youth activities! Young passengers enjoy a full schedule of activities and fun-packed
events custom tailored to each age group. (Scavenger Hunts, Dancing lessons, ice-cream
socials, talent show, video, arcade, and board games, arts, crafts, t-shirt painting…loads of fun
activities, games and prizes!) Note that Children age 10 and over are allowed to sign themselves
in and out – but they won’t want to leave!
19. Gratuities ARE adjustable. Carnival now recommends gratuities of $11.50 per passenger,
per day to cover your wait staff and room stewards ($57.50pp for a 5-night cruise). For your
convenience, Carnival automatically adds this amount to your on board Sail & Sign account on the
last day of your cruise (unless you have prepaid gratuities). In the fine print though, you will read
that you are free to adjust the gratuities up or down, or have them removed completely from
your on-board account if you would prefer to tip the staff directly. We think you'll find the staff
well worth it though!
20. Top Suggestions for Your Ports of Call…
 | Choose from an awesome selection of popular shore excursions priced from $29 up, | |
| and well worth the cost! You can read about your choices and register early at the Carnival website (see your cruise confirmation letter for instructions), or onboard at the Shore Excursion Desk. There is also an informative Port & Shore Excursions seminar and video presentation on board. Everyone raves about Carnival's fantastic shore excursions, and you'll find the native guides and instructors to be very friendly and informative. | ||
| Bottled water and underwater cameras are available at reasonable prices just inside the | |
| gangway at your ports of call. It is usually warm year round in the Caribbean and it’s a good idea to bring your own cold water when you go ashore. | ||
| If you’re planning to snorkel, you might bring a square of cheese like you can find at the | |
| ship’s buffet…for a fantastic up-close fish encounter and great photo opportunity. Caution though…you will be surrounded by fish trying to get a nibble! | ||
| Ladies, try a Hair Braid! Bring a touch of the Caribbean home with you – The locals love to | |
| offer braids and wraps to add an island flair to your hair style. They can braid the whole head, just the front, or you can get a couple thin braids on each side for only $2-$3/braid, or half/full head braids are very popular too...Braids give you a fun look that will last for 2-3 weeks. And for men they offer temporary tattoos that last a few weeks and look quite real. |
Whatever you choose to do on your Carnival cruise, you are in for a FUNTASTIC Caribbean
Vacation!
Thank you for using Great Rates Travel Service! We hope that our personal Insider Tips and
Suggestions will help you to better enjoy this fun-filled, exciting vacation! Please let us know if you
have any additional tips for this ship which you'd like to share with our future guests. We would
love to hear back from you after your cruise, and we are also looking for photos and suggestions
for our new Past Guests "Feedback” page of our website! Thank you again, and Bon Voyage!
Debby and Joe DeWeese, Owners
Great Rates Travel Service
| INFORMATION YOU MAY NEED FOR YOUR CRUISE! |
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| EXCURSIONS & TOURS AVAILABLE This is a link to the Carnival Website, where you can view or reserve excursions for each of your Ports of Call. |
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| Debby & Joe DeWeese, Owners Great Rates Travel |
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Great Rates Travel