On our cruise we paid for a few extras. Here is my evaluation of the extras we paid for and my evaluation of the trip overall.
Faster to the fun: $90 – this functions like TSA pre-check during embarking. I don’t know that it helped with the port day or not. If so it was not noticeable enough to leave an impression. On the day we disembarked it made a difference and helped us get off the ship and quickly go through immigration back in Port Canaveral. Verdict – Worth it.
Trip advisor – 3 hour buggy tour $330. We booked this tour via Trip Advisor rather than Carnival. We tried to book a Jeep tour but couldn’t get tickets. It was a good tour and fun to drive a side by side ATV in town. We stopped at several shops where we were given a sales pitch for several things. Some we bought and others we couldn’t wait to be done with. In the end I’m glad we did it but next time will either just map it out and walk or get the jeep tour. Verdict – Worth it
Princess Cay – Cabana $299. What you get in the cabana is a 10’x10′ shed with AC, fridge, cooler with 2 large water bottles, 2 regular Pepsi, 2 diet, 2 lemon lime sodas and 2 orange crush sodas. No variations on the drinks. Snacks were fruit, chips and salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. Two foam floats, 4 loungers and snorkel gear for 4. There is also a outdoor shower to rinse off the sand with. What it provided was a shelter from the main beach crowds, and somewhere cool to escape the sun. Verdict – Worth it
WiFi – 2 adults $150 – We paid for 2 phones to have the top level internet package. Our thought process was that we could stay connected to home and watch YouTube. Well… not so much. Most of the time we were lucky if the Carnival app worked. I will say the social media worked better in the main areas of the ship but I prefer to surf social media and check out when in my cabin rather in the restaurant with my family or when the kids were playing on the Lido deck. Verdict – not worth the cost. Take the opportunity to unplug.
Soft Drink packages – 2 adults $76 2 kids $55 – Ok so for rough math a 12 pack of soft drinks (which each person can bring on board) costs $7.99 at the time this is written. So the cost for the adults is $9.50/day for the sodas. So for me I could have brought a 12 pack and drank 3 per day for less than the cost of one day of the soda package. None of us drank that many sodas in a day. Maybe part of this problem is the inconvenience of getting a soft drink. You must go to the bar, give up you sign and sail card, they give you a room temperature can of soda and then you must sign for each one. Go the the bar to get drinks for the family? Take all 4 cards, sign 4 receipts. Want ice? Gotta ask for that. Verdict – not worth the cost or hassle for me on this cruise line. I may try it on a different cruise line and reassess.
Water for room -12 pack $10 – so this one also is way more expensive than water at Sam’s or your local grocery store. Based on research done after the cruise I would not pay for it but rather ask for a bottle of water every time I walked by the bar and just collected them through the day and stocked my fridge rather than pay for them. There are two large water bottles in the room that cost $4.95 each if used. We got the package in the fear that we would waken and be very thirsty and didn’t want anyone tempted to drink a $5 water in the middle of the night. Verdict – Skip it and get a free water when at the bar.
Parking – $90 – this is not really a thing you can escape. There are other parking options off the port area but we didn’t research it as it would require arranging a ride to the car both getting on and off the ship. We were very close to the area where we boarded.
Cruise: Cost – $2404.80 4 night balcony for 2 adults and 2 teens. Stops in Nassau and Princess Cay. This included food except the “specialty dining” and coffee, tea and juice. Overall I’m thankful I went on this trip with my family. Will I go on a Carnival ship again? Probably not – it was not relaxing it was very loud and I was constantly frustrated with all the up charges and inconveniences of getting a drink or towel. I will say it did get me excited to cruise. Since our trip I have been endlessly researching cruise vacations and making comparisons to a normal beach vacation.
Seek adventure and get busy living.
-Ben